The 2024 Paris Olympics was the debut of breakdancing on the Olympic stage, but Australian competitor, Rachael “Raygun” Gunn, became an internet celebrity after inspiring many memes mocking her performance.
While many of the athletes this year have gone viral for their cool charisma or spectacular achievements, Gunn fell under the social media spotlight because of her perceived failures.
The ‘Raygun’ Breakdancing Memes, Explained
Footage of 36-year-old Gunn, known as “Raygun,” competing in the round-robin stage of the women’s breaking competition instantly went viral, with social media users confused by her unusual style.
Commentators jokingly compared her routine to underwhelming moves made by an attention-seeking child.
Gunn was eliminated from the competition and failed to win any points from the Olympic judges, but struck a chord with online commentators who found her routine to be hilarious and relatable; many know how it feels to stand up in front of an expecting crowd and fail to deliver.
Gunn quickly cultivated a dedicated ironic following, with one commentator announcing themselves as Gunn’s “biggest fan” and implored the breakdancer to “never stop doing whatever it is she’s trying to do.”
Gunn’s outfit was compared to singer Billie Eilish, and her aura compared to comedian Danny McBride, who is known to play absurd, obnoxious characters who lack self-awareness.
Gunn was even crowned as a cringy millennial queen, a perfect representative of an awkward generation.
Internet sleuths investigated Gunn’s history and discovered that she works as lecturer on dance and gender politics at Macquarie University, which sparked a debate about academia and its perceived value.
Not all of the commentary was negative; breaking head judge Martin Gilian defended Gunn’s performance, saying that breaking was “all about originality” and finding inspiration in one’s roots.
“This is exactly what Raygun was doing,” Gilian said. “She got inspired by her surroundings, which in this case, for example, was a kangaroo.”
Incidentally, a screenshot of one of Gunn’s signature moves, in which she mimics a kangaroo, proved a very popular meme template.
Inspiring a flurry of memes due to an underwhelming performance seems like a nightmare scenario for any serious Olympian; some were even left wondering if Gunn was in on the joke and had purposely failed to deliver.
Much of the commentary was lighthearted and in good humor, but the internet can be cruel place. Breakdancing is not returning for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics (a decision made before Gunn’s performance), but many commentators blamed Gunn.
Some of the jokes and commentary crossed the line into mean-spirited trolling; Australian chef de mission Anna Meares described the online criticism of Gunn as “really disappointing” and dismissed Gunn’s detractors as “trolls and keyboard warriors.”
For what its worth, Gunn didn’t seem to expect to break her way to victory.
In an interview with The Guardian she admitted that her goal was to stand out and express her creativity, rather than dominate her competitors.
“I was never going to beat these girls on what they do best, the dynamic and the power moves, so I wanted to move differently, be artistic and creative,” Gunn said. “I was always the underdog and wanted to make my mark in a different way.”
Read the full article here