You wouldn’t be wrong to think that something is broken with the world rankings for breakdancers.
It turns out that you can finish with zero points in Olympic competition, beating only one other dancer who was disqualified, and still become the No. 1-ranked breakdancer in the world.
Rachael ‘Raygun’ Gunn achieved that in the latest rankings by World DanceSport Federation (WDSF), released on Monday.
Even more puzzling: Ami Yuasa of Japan, who won gold at the Paris Games, did not appear in the top 50 of the WDSF rankings. Neither did silver-medallist Dominika Banevic of Lithuania or bronze-medallist Liu Qingyi of China.
Raygun became an instant viral sensation at the Summer Games last month.
The Aussie caught the world’s attention for her controversial routine, which included moves that resembled kangaroo hopping, rolling on the floor like a toddler and doing the sprinkler.
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However, the 36-year-old was vaulted to the top of the rankings thanks to the 1,000 points she earned from winning the WDSF Oceania Championship, which booked her a spot in the Olympics.
Curiously, four other Aussies found themselves in the world’s Top 8 with Holy Molly (4), Hannah (5) and G-Clef (8) joining Raygun.
After uproar on social media over the rankings, the WDSF released a statement.
“We would like to take this opportunity to provide clarity on the ranking methodology and address the concerns raised. The WDSF Breaking World Ranking List is governed by the WDSF Breaking Rules and Regulations Manual (BRRM) and is updated based on each athlete’s top four performances within the past 12 months. Points earned in these competitions remain valid for 52 weeks from the date of the event.
The WDSF also stated that due to limited athlete quotas, the results from the Olympics and two qualifiers did not factor into the rankings and that some dancers would only be ranked on a single competition.
“Ranking events were intentionally not held between Dec. 31, 2023, and the Olympic Games Paris 2024. This strategic scheduling allowed athletes to focus solely on the last part of their Olympic qualification without the added pressure of additional ranking events. Consequently, by the end of the Olympic Games, many of the competition results included in the ranking had expired, leading to the current situation where many athletes have only one competition result contributing to their ranking.
“Due the unique circumstances regarding ranking events this year, it is not unusual … for some athletes to be ranked according to a single event.”
Raygun recently had her first sit-down interview since her performance in Paris and made a confession: She has not yet watched a video of her full routine from the Games.
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“I have seen little bits and pieces, but I will watch it eventually,” Gunn told The Project, an Australian news and current affairs show.
Gunn also admitted she couldn’t bring herself to watch a sketch on Jimmy Fallon’s The Tonight Show which poked fun at her.
“I haven’t actually watched the sketch because I don’t think I am in a place to watch it,” Gunn said, adding she had mixed emotions about the skit performed by SNL alum Rachel Dratch.