Revealed
RAY OF HOPE
Raygun made scarily accurate prediction about media frenzy over Olympics breaking routine 12 months before going viral
Music icon Adele even weighed into the global debate
RAYGUN made a scarily accurate prediction about her Olympics breaking routine in a university research paper.
The Australian, 36, went viral during Paris 2024 with her memorable but unspectacular dancing efforts.
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Raygun - real name Rachael Gunn - tried to impress the judges and breaking fans with her kangaroo hopping, slithering snake and the 'sprinkler'.
However, the nine judges scored her one-sided battle with Logistx 18-0 in favour of the American while the videos of her attempts spread rapidly on social media.
But it has now emerged Raygun called breaking taking off in her homeland thanks to its Olympics debut.
In 2023, university lecturer Gunn published a paper entitled 'The Australian breaking scene and the Olympic Games: The possibilities and politics of sportification'.
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The 18-page research document detailed how the Paris Games was the perfect opportunity for a media frenzy around breaking - although even she could not have foreseen the volume of traction her performance gathered.
One of Raygun's interviewees in the paper, Lowe Napalan, said: "Good thing about the Olympics, and the best thing, is the media attention.
"So, we can do a repeat of, let's say, what happened with […] Rock Steady [Crew], the whole media boom, and then everyone started breaking.
"So there's potential that that can happen again with the Olympics, which is what we really want to utilise to get those numbers in the community."
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Raygun's efforts even drew the attention of music icon Adele, who paused her Munich concert to talk about the Aussie.
She said: "I am not saying anything, but I think it's the best thing that has happened at the Olympics for the entire time.
SunSport's Joshua Jones learns breaking ahead of its Olympics debut at Paris 2024
"Did anyone see the breakdancing lady? Now I didn't even know breakdancing was an Olympic sport these days.
"That is f***ing fantastic. I really really do. Aaron my percussionist is p***ing himself laughing just thinking about it."
Raygun's unexpected sudden rise to global fame has sparked suggestions of TV appearances - especially as she has now signed with a major talent agency.
But there has also been a lot of vile abuse and hatred sent to her in the wake of her Olympics efforts.
Some even brutally suggested her routine was part of a conspiracy theory to deliberately perform badly to gain attention as part of a "social experiment".
However, a "devastated" Raygun took to social media with an emotional video to hit back at her critics.
She said: "Hi everyone, Raygun here.
"I just wanna start by thanking all the people who have supported me.
"I really appreciate the positivity and I am glad I was able to bring some joy into your lives, that is what I had hoped.
"I didn't realise that that would also open the door to so much hate, which has frankly been pretty devastating.
"While I went out there and had fun, I did take it very seriously.
"I worked my butt off preparing for the Olympics, and I gave it my all. Truly.
"I'm honoured to have been a part of the Australian Olympic team and to be part of breaking's Olympic debut.
"What the other athletes have achieved has just been phenomenal."
Gunn has received support from the Australian Cricket team, who tweeted that she would be "welcome anytime".
Aussie Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Australia's Olympic chief Anna Meares have also backed her up.
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They claimed she represented the Australian spirit of "having a go".
Raygun will not get a chance to make amends at the next Olympics, though, because breaking has been scrubbed off the lists of sports for LA 2028.
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