Legendary dancer Samson Smith has revealed Raygun’s background as a dancer after making a shocking confession about the Australian’s infamous Olympic performance.
Raygun, whose real name is Rachael Gunn, has come under heavy criticism after failing to score in the inaugural women’s competition at the weekend, with clips of her routine going viral for all the wrong reasons on social media.
The 36-year-old married university professor has come under fire from armchair pundits and keyboard warriors not only for her performance but also for her appearance on social media and in some traditional media.
The backlash even prompted Australian Olympic chef de mission Anna Meares and later Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to voice their support for Raygun.
The Raygun controversy continues to dominate headlines, overshadowing Australia’s best ever Olympic result
But Smith, of Australian breaking group Justice Crew, believes Raygun’s legendary moves will live on and insists he will incorporate them into his routines.
“Oh, we’re definitely going to include that,” he said on The Project when asked if he would emulate Raygun’s kangaroo movement.
“I’ve seen her fight, I’ve seen her win and I’ve seen her lose. Watching her at the Olympics… that’s just how she is. That’s her style, she wins and loses. She lost every point, which is totally fine with us. We go into a battle, we win, we lose, that’s it.”
Samson Smith says he will incorporate Raygun’s moves into his breakdancing routines
The Australian Olympian has been widely ridiculed following her performance in Paris.
Reflecting on the reaction, Smith said: “To see it go viral, and it’s still going viral, the way everyone keeps talking about it… and it’s such a disappointment because they’re not talking about the winners.
‘They’re not talking about the gold medalists, the silver medalists, the bronze medalists… they’re all talking about Raygun memes and they haven’t even seen his full set.
‘They just look at his memes and judge those slow movements, the sprinkler, that it’s just his character.
“It’s just his personality, that’s his character, and the general public laughs at that. The memes that everyone comes up with are crazy.
‘At the end of the day, she’s a human being who goes out to show her creativity.’
The Australian public has been divided over Raygun’s participation in the competition as Australia’s representative.
But Smith says he will “definitely” include Raygun’s kangaroo move in his dances.
Australians are divided over Raygun’s selection in the competition. He earned his place through a qualifying process, but some say it is a disservice to communities across Australia.
She is currently the number one breakdancer in the country and earned her spot through the qualification process, but a social media account called @MadhokNeha claimed that the setup of breakdancing harms certain communities in Australia.
“There are amazing dancers in places like Western Sydney (just one example), where Black and Brown people are honing their skills and artistry in settings not recognised by established institutions,” she said.
“This is a reflection of the whiteness of Australian sport and Australian attitudes. We could have sent some amazing people, the talent is there, no doubt, but you have to go where the people are.”
However, others praised Raygun for giving his best.
“Congratulations to Raygun for having the courage to step out on the pitch,” suggested one social media user. “But this was the biggest embarrassment I have ever felt in my life.”
“Raygun from Australia is actually my Olympic hero,” added another.
Shortly after his performance on the world stage, Raygun broke his silence by sharing a cryptic message on Instagram.
Posting a message from the ‘Breaking for Gold’ account, she quoted herself as saying: ‘Don’t be afraid to be different. Go out and present yourself, you never know where that will take you.’