to think Rachel 'Raygun' gun has broken the phrase 'Oh for the confidence of a mediocre man'?

[Raygunstun]

( Ok, yes I know I am late to the party on this one).

I'm talking about the Australian women's entry into the breakdancing at the Olympics.

She went out there with absolute confidence, and complete lack of self awareness, and did really terrible breakdancing. It wasn't even really breakdancing. It was like some sort of interpretative dance. Her moves were clunky and slow. they did not flow, the connections between moves were awkward. She was like a competitor in a very, very local competition. And she appeared to have no awareness of this. I know there is a lot of creativity and expression in breaking, but it surely has to be combined with technical skill.

She also appears to have no awareness that the Olympics is about showcasing outstanding physical prowess and technical expertise. Both of which she clearly lacked.

In a way, I admire her confidence, but I don't admire her lack of awareness. I also do not believe she was the best female breaker in Australia.

Part of me feels a bit sorry for her as the break dancing world is clearly her world, but I can't help feeling she got so lost in the theory of the ' expressive' side of breaking she kinda lost sight of the technical skill side. A bit like Rachel Dolezol got so lost in the theory of race being a social construct that she lost sight of the fact you actually need to be black to be black.

Well it's been pulled from 2028 already.

I read that she is some kind of political commentator maybe it was supposed to be ironic. It was shot that's for sure.

Apparently that wasn't the routine at the qualifiers, and she knew she'd make more money going viral than competing normally and finishing low down. Which is not the point of the Olympics.

This isn't the first time she's humiliated herself and then thrown a tantrum at people's reactions. She's utterly delusional.

Yes, it’s all the men’s fault.

I'd not seen this. Thanks, I needed a laugh.

I mean, poor woman, doesn't deserve all the online hate. But, WHAT WAS SHE THINKING??

It's not been "pulled". It was a demonstration sport, each organising city gets to add a few to the schedule. Some make it onto the full programme, others don't. Barcelona in 1992 had roller hockey, Munich in 1972 had water skiing. In LA in 2028 the demo sports include softball and lacrosse.

Gosh @Raygunstun , lf you're late to the party, I didn't turn up at all.
I didn't know breakdancing was a new event at this years Olympics! 😂

I have no idea what has happened or who Raygun is.
I have zero expertise in Breakdancing, but I am now watching it, so will be back 😁

That is interesting, thanks for that.

Did she not get in as a 'wild card'? I actually love that rule, that some people get to go anyway. I heard about it in a few other classes, so assume they all had wild card competitors. Gives more people exposure and experience at the olympics. I remember years ago there was a competitor in the winter olympics from an african country that had never had an athlete in the winter olympics before. She was terrible. But how cool she got that experience. And really, although it has been made to be all about medals, isn't the spirit of all sport about competing and doing your best?

The new Spirit of Australia

The whole thing was a joke wasn't it?! I mean, look at what she was wearing!! Everyone else was wearing street gear. She had her tracksuit on all tucked in!

Also, it's not been pulled from the 2028 olympics, it was never going to be part of it.

I'm sorry but it was just SO BAD I really don't know how Snoop Dog and the judges didn't completely lose their shit and roll around the floor laughing.
I watched in pure horror at her antics.
In no country would this be considered breaking. She had zero rhythm or style.
When you look at Ami or Ayumi who is a 40 year old school teacher or Nicka from Lithiuania who is only 15, now there is real talent.

It does appear to be a Liz Truss level of stupidity / rigging the system doesn't it.

That looks like a character from Scooby Doo 😁

I just watched the video posted above, and watching the girl in green I can see why it was an Olympic event - it's like watching speedy gymnastics. I also thought 'RayGun' was better in that clip than at the Olympics, but no comparison to the talent of her competitor. It's a bit of a mystery.

Saw this doing the rounds on X

Is the Olympic coverage of breaking on iplayer? If so, which day?
Thanks in advance x

I did wonder if it was deliberate in order to get "bullied" therefore confirming her thesis about misogyny in breaking, that I assume she lectures about? (might be wrong, call me out if I am).
I only saw Rachel Dratch's tribute.
The qualifying video upthread - is she the one in burgundy then, not in the green tee? I mean, both were bad, but the green tee was better.

The Jamaican bobsleigh team didnt exclude other genuinely skilled Jamaican bobsleighers from the Olympics. Her actions were to the detriment of other potential Australian breakdancers who could have attended instead. I really hope she doesn’t benefit from her notoriety. I also cannot believe she actually teaches this subject at university when she clearly doesn’t have the skills or rhythm.

@MeinKraft Ok, if this is true then the whole thing is basically the film of 'Strictly Ballroom' but updated for breakdancing.

A PhD in breakdancing? WTAF. If that’s the case the whole PhD system jumped the shark some time ago.

But you can kind of go, oh yeah, I can see why the bobsledders weren’t very good, given they came from a poorer country with, critically, no snow.

Eric the Eel was similar but he was beloved by Australia and he went on to do some really good work for swimming in Equatorial Guinea. He’d never seen a 50m pool before the Sydney Olympics.

However, Raygun comes from an extremely wealthy country with a vibrant indigenous culture. There’s no comparison really.

Either you can dance or you can't (same as singing). And raygun can't dance! 😂

She knew exactly what she was doing. It was a grift for her day job as an academic in a field that is known to lack any rigour or proper standards. She wrote a PhD of buzzwords and jargon, and will shortly be publishing more papers arguing that she is the victim of this Olympic Games.

It does not bother her that she took the place of a genuinely talented dancer (there must be thousands in Aus superior to her). It does not bother her that she looked ridiculous; in her academic field there is no right or wrong and it’s all colonialism to say otherwise.

I don’t watch the Olympics to see mediocrity, I watch to see incredible athletes doing things I can barely imagine. The odd underdog story like Eddie the Eagle or Eric the Eel are ok here and there but she isn’t like them at all.

@SidekickSylvia

Every time i watch her I'm creased up, how could everyone keep a straight face?
Her husband is shit at it too 😄

I loved it. Trolling at its finest.