NEWS
Breakdancing Won’t Feature in the 2028 LA Olympics…But Not Because of Viral Australian Breakdancer
Malaysians have long lamented that sports such as squash and bowling aren’t included as official Olympic sports, as Datuk Nicol David would’ve brought home numerous gold medals for the former. Many netizens worldwide also found it ludicrous that breakdancing was an official event, especially when Australian breakdancer Rachael Gunn, better known as Raygun, went viral on social media with her routine.
She busted out a ‘kangaroo hop’ and ‘the sprinkler,’ and many compared her moves to those of a five-year-old.
It’s surprising that Raygun from Australia is the top breaker. The kangaroo move ?—how did she make it this far?! ? #BreakingForGold She should’ve swapped the kangaroo for a banana to really stand out. What is this? Seriously, is breakdancing really an Olympic event? pic.twitter.com/9zKeyt1MQp— Bites Of Net (@BitesOfNet) August 9, 2024
After seeing her performance, one even wrote, “When I tell you I SCREAMED, she's gonna single-handedly get breakdancing removed from the #olympics.” Another said, “I thought it was an Australian McDonald’s worker having a seizure!”. Some even got inspired seeing her dance, saying, “This is the first time in my life that I think I could be an Olympian. Zero doubt I can do better.”
Some even turned her dance into a meme:
— Hodlmonkey (@hodlmonkey) August 13, 2024
Raygun, who failed to score any points in the three-breaking battles she participated in, said, "It was disappointing it was decided that it wouldn’t be in LA, particularly before we even had a chance to show it. That was possibly a little premature. I wonder if they’re kicking themselves now?”
As reported by Sport Bible, breakdancing will be removed from the 2028 LA Olympics despite only making its debut in Paris this year. However, it is not because of Raygun. The decision was made before this summer’s Olympics had already begun. Breaking was never proposed as an event in LA, and the LA Olympic committee's proposed schedule was released in October 2023.
After successfully being included in the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, breakdancing was first announced as an Olympic event in December 2020. It is important to note that various events are continuously added and removed from the Olympic programme to keep it relevant.
- Sports such as polo and waterskiing, once part of the Games, have been discontinued.
- Meanwhile, after periods of absence, cricket, baseball, softball, and lacrosse will all return for the LA Games.
- For the very first time, flag football and squash (yes, squash!) will be featured. Sadly, Datuk Nicol David has retired, but we’re hopeful that rising star Sivasangari will make us proud.
- In addition, skateboarding and speed climbing, which were optional events, will become permanent events in 2028.
Let’s hope that bowling will be added to the roster next! Or maybe sepak takraw?
Featured Image Credit: X, Olympics | Instagram
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