Paris 2024: Olympics spot up for grabs for top Australian breakers at Oceania Champs in Sydney

University lecturer by day and top-ranked B-girl by night, Dr Rachael Gunn aka Raygun has sights set on Olympics berth. Hear from one of the leading contenders at the Oceania Campionships in Sydney.

Australian B-girl Raygun (Rachael Gunn) at the Destructive Steps competition in September 2023. Photo: JNY Photography.

University professor by day, competitive B-girl at night, Dr Rachael Gunn aka Raygun is considered the favourite to take out the title at this weekend’s QMS 2023 WDSF Oceania Breaking Championships.

Over 50 of the best breakers in the Oceania region will do battle at Sydney’s Town Hall from Friday for a guaranteed spot at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

As the top Australian B-girl in the global Olympic rankings, Gunn has had all her attention firmly on Paris since breaking was announced as an Olympic sport in 2020.

“It’s been a whirlwind of a time, that’s for sure,” Gunn said.

“I was actually in Belgium in September for the World Championships, so I’ve been to a few qualifiers now.

“So I’m feeling pretty good, but you just don’t know what’s going to happen.”

Australian B-girl Raygun (Rachael Gunn) at the Destructive Steps competition in September 2023. Photo: JNY Photography.

Gunn is no stranger to winning Australian breaking titles, winning most of the major competitions over the past few years, but she said having a spot in the Olympics up for grabs is nerve-racking.

“I think for these sorts of competitions I’m definitely one of the more experienced,” she said.

“Though there are girls that have been breaking longer than me, they haven’t been as actively competing at these sorts of events.

“Past performance is usually a good indicator of future performance, but you really just don’t know what’s going to happen.

“You don’t know what music’s gonna play, you don’t know what the vibe is going to be like, I’ve never been to this venue before, I’ve got family and friends coming who have never seen me compete before so there’s just so many variables.”

Raygun has been eyeing the Paris Olympics since breaking’s inclusion was announced in 2020.

Through all the travel and competitions that have taken up her time in preparation for Paris, Gunn has continued to lecture and teach at Macquarie University, where she received her doctorate in 2016 with a thesis on gender in Sydney’s breakdancing scene.

“I really don’t have a lot of free time,” Gunn laughingly admitted.

“I’m currently doing a residency at coreographical research centre Critical Path in Rushcutters Bay, then we’ve got the Olympic qualifiers this weekend all while the university semester is going on.

“Fortunately I don’t have much marking, but it is week 12 so there’s a bit of end-of-semester panic.”

The winners of the B-girl and B-boy competitions at the championships will secure their place in Paris next year, while those who finish in second, third and fourth place will earn a place in the Olympic Qualifier Series which takes place over three competitions in three different countries.