Will breakdancing return to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics? What to know about the fate of the sport following Raygun’s disastrous Paris performance
Breaking made its long-awaited debut on the world stage at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
While dozens of talented b-boys and b-girls competed for medals, many viewers were captivated – and confused – by the performance of Australian Raygun.
The 36-year-old university lecturer went viral after she awkwardly writhed and hopped around on the dance floor like a kangaroo, showing a much lower standard than her competitors, scoring zero points.
Fans have wondered whether the controversial sport would return when the 2028 Summer Olympics are held in Los Angeles.
It was previously confirmed that breakdancing will not be one of the sports that will be featured at the next Games.
Fans wonder if breaking will return to the 2028 Olympics after Raygun’s performance
The controversial sport will not appear at the next Olympic Games in Los Angeles
While it is possible it will be hosted again when the 2032 Olympics are held in Australia, Raygun’s native country, leaders say that is unlikely.
“It was a miracle we were in Paris at all,” said Zack Slusser, vice president of Breaking for Gold USA and USA Dance, according to NBC.
“The amount of exposure to the right people who can really drive change in our community, in our platform to help it grow — it’s going to be significant for us. It’s going to allow us, for the first time, to find sustainability and help improve our platform,” Slusser continued.
“It would be great to see breaking come back to the Olympics. But at the same time, it really goes back to community work and taking advantage of this opportunity internally.”
When California hosts the next Olympic Games, six new sports will be added to the program: cricket, flag football, baseball, softball, lacrosse and squash.
While it will be the first time that flag football and squash will be played at the Olympic Games, cricket and lacrosse will return to the program for the first time in more than 100 years.
Baseball and softball were also part of the Games, but were removed in 2008.
The announcement follows widespread discussion surrounding Raygun (whose real name is Rachael Gunn) and her now-viral performance in Paris.
Cricket, flag football, baseball, softball, lacrosse and squash will be featured at the LA Games
Australian Raygun went viral online this week for her quirky performance at the Paris Olympics
The 36-year-old university lecturer failed to score a single point at the Olympic Games
Even Adele cancelled her concert in Munich last weekend to revealing that ‘this is all me and my friends talk about’.
“I’m not saying anything, but I think this is the best thing the Olympics has ever seen,” Adele told fans, adding that she wasn’t sure if Raygun was a serious contender.
“I’m not sure if it was a joke, but it definitely made me really happy and my friends and I laughed our heads off for almost 24 hours,” she continued.
“I just wanted to know if you saw it. If you didn’t, leave the show and Google it because it’s LOLZ.
Raygun kept a relatively low profile after her performance, but did leave a statement on social media amid all the comments.
“I wanted to come here and do something new, different and creative. That’s my strength, my creativity,” she said.
“I could never beat these girls in what they do best: dynamics and power moves. That’s why I wanted to move differently, be artistic and creative. Because how many chances do you get in your life to do that on an international level?
‘I was always the underdog and wanted to make my mark in a different way.’
Adele stopped her concert in Munich on Saturday to talk about the Australian Olympic star