‘Breaking is all about originality and bringing something new to the table’

PARIS (AP) — The breaking neighborhood needs the world to present b-girl Raygun a break because the Paris Olympics wrapped up.

The game made its Olympic debut in Paris — it would by no means be again — and one of many lasting photos was the efficiency of an Australian b-girl often known as Raygun who did a “kangaroo dance” and scored zero factors.

In a present of help on Sunday, the top decide of the breaking competitors mentioned 36-year-old college professor Rachael Gunn was simply attempting to be unique. And the breaking federation says it has provided psychological well being help within the wake of on-line criticism.

“Breaking is all about originality and bringing one thing new to the desk and representing your nation or area,” head decide Martin Gilian — often known as MGbility — mentioned at a press convention. “That is precisely what Raygun was doing. She acquired impressed by her environment, which on this case, for instance, was a kangaroo.”

The breaking and hip-hop communities “positively stand behind her,” he added.

“We have now 5 standards within the aggressive judging system and simply her stage was possibly not as excessive as the opposite rivals,” MGbility mentioned. “However once more, that doesn’t imply that she did actually unhealthy. She did her finest. She gained the Oceania qualifier. … Sadly for her, the opposite b-girls had been higher.”

Sergey Nifontov, common secretary of the World DanceSport Federation, mentioned they’ve been in direct contact with Gunn and Australian Olympic workforce officers

“We provided (the) help of our safe-guarding officer. We’re privy to what has occurred, particularly on social media, and positively we must always put the protection of the athlete, on this case, psychological security in first place,” he mentioned. “She has us as a federation supporting her.”

Breaking — identified to many break dancing, a time period its performers dislike — isn’t on this system for the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.

The subsequent Summer time Video games after that can be in Brisbane, Australia.

“We consider that this has nothing to do with our possibilities for Brisbane 2032,” Nifontov mentioned when requested in regards to the criticism of Raygun and getting again into the Olympics.

Japan’s Ami Yuasa, identified higher as b-girl Ami, gained the gold medal and mentioned she wished Los Angeles organizers had waited to expertise the vitality between the athletes and the gang at Place de la Concorde.

“I really feel so unhappy about it not taking place in Los Angeles, as a result of breaking was born within the USA,” she mentioned Sunday. “Breaking is not only a sport, it’s additionally expressing myself and artwork.”

Federation president Shawn Tay defended the evolution — from what began as an artwork type within the Seventies within the Bronx to an Olympic look. Critics have questioned the commercialization of the game.

“Proper from the start we had been warned that a number of the breakers — the highest breakers — might not participate,” he mentioned. “However now now we have achieved to convey all of them in — now we have all one of the best breakers. Now they’re preventing for the glory of their nation — it’s a very completely different factor. And that’s truly pushed them to enhance a lot, to work so laborious in a extra scientific manner.”

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