Australian officials reveal reason why Raygun was picked for Olympics after scoring zero

Raygun failed to score any points for her breakdancing routines.

Australian officials have defended their decision to send Raygun to the Paris Olympics after the breakdancer failed to score a single point during the competition.

Breaking made its Olympic debut in Paris this summer, but most of the attention it gained focused on Australian competitor Rachael Gunn.

Performing under the name ‘Raygun’, the 36-year-old university lecturer performed a unique routine which included hopping like a kangaroo and writhing around on the floor like a snake.

Despite earning praise from the judges for her originality, Raygun scored zero points in each of her three heats and was eliminated from the competition.

“Breaking is all about originality and bringing something new to the table and representing your country or region,” judge Martin Gilian (MGbility) said in a press conference.

“This is exactly what Raygun was doing. She got inspired by her surroundings, which in this case, for example, was a kangaroo.”

On her performance, Gunn said: “All my moves are original. Creativity is really important to me. I go out there and I show my artistry.

“Sometimes it speaks to the judges and sometimes it doesn’t.

“I do my thing, and it represents art. That is what it is about.”

Australian sporting body AusBreaking has now explained the process that led to Raygun going to the Olympics.

“The selection process for Australia’s breaking team heading to Paris was conducted over two days, and open to all interested participants in the Oceanic region,” a statement read.

Olympic breakdancer Raygun was given zero points by the judges. [Getty]

“Adhering to World DanceSport Federation (WDSF) regulations, which align with International Olympic Committee (IOC) standards, the process aimed to ensure a fair and transparent outcome.

“A panel of nine international adjudicators, a head judge and a chairperson who oversaw the competition, using the same judging system at the Paris Games and trained to uphold the highest standards of impartiality.”

“These judges are all highly respected in their respective communities and in the international breaking scene.

“Ultimately, Rachael Gunn and Jeff Dunne emerged as the top performers in exactly the same process, securing their spots to represent Australia in Paris. Their selection was based solely on their performance in their battles on that day.

“In the lead-up to Paris, Raygun used her platform as the Australian Breaking representative to consistently advocate in the media for breaking’s history, artistic and athletic values, and its cultural origins.”

The sporting body also said they “condemn the global online harassment and bullying of Raygun.”

“The pressure to perform on the Olympic stage is immense, especially against the opponents in her particular group. We stand in solidarity with Raygun,” they added.