Sports
Australian Breakdancer “Raygun”, Who Got Trolled In Paris Olympics, Takes Huge Step
Australian breakdancer Rachael “Raygun” Gunn has announced her retirement from competition, citing a “really upsetting” backlash following her performance at the Paris Olympics. Raygun, 37, became something of a global laughing stock after her unorthodox routine, including kangaroo hops and imitating a sprinkler, failed to impress the judges at the Games. Her moves were copied on late-night talk shows and her unfashionable green tracksuit was mercilessly parodied online. Conspiracy theories abounded to explain how the university lecturer had even made it on to the Australia Olympic team. Gunn said the intense scrutiny had been “really upsetting”, and she had decided to pull the plug on her breakdancing career.
“I’m not going to compete any more,” she told Australian radio station 2DayFM on Wednesday.
“I was going to keep competing for sure, but that seems like a really difficult thing for me to do now.
“The level of scrutiny that’s going to be there. People will be filming it, it will be going online, it’s just not going to be the same experience.”
Gunn had previously spoken out against the “pretty devastating” hatred unleashed towards her after the Olympics.
“I went out there and I had fun. I did take it very seriously. I worked my butt off preparing for the Olympics and I gave my all,” she said in a video message after the Games.
While many lampooned her performance on social media, Gunn won support from others, including her fellow Australian Olympians and even the country’s prime minister.
Raygun said she would continue to dance, just not in competition.
“I mean I still dance, and I still break. But, you know, that’s like in my living room with my partner,” she said.
“Dancing is so much fun, and it makes you feel good. I don’t think people should feel crap about the way that they dance.
“If you get out there, and you have fun on the dance floor then just own it.”
Raygun did have the last laugh in September when she was briefly elevated to the top of the World Dance Sport Federation (WDSF) rankings.
The WDSF named her the number one women’s breakdancer based on winning the Oceania Championship, one of only a few events held that counted towards the rankings in the run-up to the Olympics.
The sport of breaking made its Olympics debut in Paris, but will not feature at the next Games at Los Angeles in 2028.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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Former Pakistan cricket team captain Rashid Latif made a mammoth statement regarding the Champions Trophy 2025, saying that the tournament should not happen anymore. During a recent event, Latif said that Pakistan should say no to the competition before BCCI takes any further step. He went on to say that such a step by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will send a big message to the cricketing community. The tournament was supposed to take place in Pakistan but the situation has become complicated after India refused to travel for their matches citing security concerns. While the ICC has suggested a ‘hybrid’ solution that will see India play their matches in Dubai, nothing concrete has been announced yet.
“Champions Trophy shouldn’t happen anymore. You should say no before they refuse,” Latif said.
“We have always been made scapegoats, be it Afghan war or cricket. PCB, ACB, and ICC are the same as they can’t fight against the BCCI. They have the chance to push Pakistan to the front. We have joined hands and are fighting against it, but the only fear is that if India boycotts, where do we stand.”
Rashid Latif said “Pakistan should boycott the Champions Trophy now. Before BCCI takes this step, PCB should take it. Champions Trophy shouldn’t happen anymore”
— Farid Khan (@_FaridKhan) December 10, 2024
Amid the ongoing impasse on Pakistan’s hosting of the Champions Trophy 2025, the decision on the next year’s marquee event is likely to be announced by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Wednesday, sources told IANS on Monday.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), which holds the hosting rights for the Champions Trophy, has reportedly demanded a written assurance from the international body on the hybrid model for future ICC tournaments after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) communicated to ICC that the Indian team will not travel to Pakistan abiding by the Government of India’s policy.
Amid the stand-off, PCB has agreed to accept the hybrid model for the Champions Trophy with India playing its matches in Dubai while the rest of the tournament will be staged in Pakistan. India will also play the semifinal and final matches in Dubai, subject to qualification.
“Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) wants a written assurance from the World body (ICC) regarding a hybrid model for the future international events to be hosted by India. Decision on Champions Trophy most likely by Wednesday,” sources told IANS
(With IANS inputs)
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India’s defeat in the pink-ball Test against Australia hasn’t sent shockwaves across the cricketing spectrum, but certain changes have been prescribed to Rohit Sharma and his team. India made three changes in the playing XI for the day-night Test, with Shubman Gill, Ravichandran Ashwin and the skipper coming in. Rohit, however, batted at the No. 6 spot, allowing KL Rahul to continue at the top after his prolific show in the Perth Test. However, Indian cricket great Sunil Gavaskar has urged Rohit to change that in the third Test.
Gavaskar, reflecting on India’s defeat in the Adelaide Test, has urged Rohit to return to his opening spot, alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal, in Brisbane, sending Rahul to bat at the No. 5 or No. 6 spot.
“He should return to his regular spot. We should remember why Rahul had opened. He did that because Rohit Sharma was not available for the first Test,” said Gavaskar on Sports Tak.
“Now I can understand why they kept him as an opener in the second Test, he had a 200-plus partnership with Jaiswal. But now that he couldn’t score this Test, I feel Rahul should go back to No. 5 or No.6 and Rohit Sharma should open. If Rohit scores quickly in the beginning, then he can score a big century also later,” he added.
Rohit, speaking to reporters in the post-match press conference, admitted that the batting unit crumbled against the pink-ball challenge. But, from the next match onwards, the team needs to take its chances.
“A disappointing week for us, we didn’t play well, and Australia played better cricket than us and won the Test match. We failed to grab our opportunities. We didn’t bat well enough, probably 30-40 runs short with the bat in the first innings. There were opportunities when Australia were batting and we failed to take those chances. When you miss those chances, it’s never easy,” Rohit had said in the press conference.
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Sports
Australia Great Wants Rahul Dravid In India XI For 3rd Australia Test? Gaffe On Live TV Goes Viral
File photo of Rahul Dravid© AFP
Legendary Australian cricket team batter Matthew Hayden made a hilarious gaffe on live air when he said that he wants Rahul Dravid instead of KL Rahul while talking about India’s team selection for the third Test match. Hayden was analysing India’s loss in the pink-ball Test and his fumble left Gavaskar in splits. The comment came after Gavaskar said that Rohit should not bat at No. 6 and return to opening the batting for India as he is already suffering from a lot of confidence due to his lack of form.
“I think he should come back to opening for the next Test because he likes the ball to come onto the bat. This innings, one can understand, because he hadn’t played for a while, and Rahul and Jaiswal had a 200-run partnership in the previous game. But Rahul can come down the order and face the second new ball. I’m being optimistic that India will bat so well in the next game that Rahul will take care of the second new ball,” he said.
Gavaskar wants Rohit to open, Hayden wants… Dravid back in the XI?? #AUSvIND | @StarSportsIndia pic.twitter.com/9nkbUFFv8X
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) December 10, 2024
Hayden was not on the same page as Gavaskar and we went to say that India should not make a hasty change to the playing XI. He also backed the “technically-sound” Rahul to continue as opener but ended up saying “Rahul Dravid” in place of “KL Rahul”.
“I’ll be slightly more stubborn. I will not be changing at this stage. I know you would like a better outcome inside the top three. But from what I saw in Perth, technically, Rahul Dravid is right there. He just needs to do it for a longer,” Hayden explained.
As soon as Hayden finished his analysis, Gavaskar taunted the Australia legend as he said – “I would love it if it was Rahul Dravid, as you said, but it is KL Rahul.”
Hayden was left in splits as he said that Dravid’s centuries at the Adelaide Oval “still haunts him”.
“Sorry, KL Rahul. My apologies. I was thinking of when he dominated here in Adelaide and got us smashed in 2003/04 series. That’s a nightmare I’m stull living,” he said.
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“Champions Trophy Shouldn’t Happen”: Pakistan Great Drops Bombshell
“Rohit Sharma Should…”: Sunil Gavaskar Wants Big Change In India’s Batting Unit For 3rd Test
Australia Great Wants Rahul Dravid In India XI For 3rd Australia Test? Gaffe On Live TV Goes Viral
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