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Adele has shared her delight over the viral Olympics breakdancer Raygun, calling her performance “the best thing that’s happened in the Olympics” and adding that “me and my friends have been s****ing ourselves laughing for 24 hours.”
Raygun – real name Rachael Gunn – did not score a single point from the judges and was knocked out at the round-robin stage after losing all three of her bouts.
Her moves went viral on social media and became the subject of much debate.
During Adele’s show in Munich on Saturday night (August 10), the singer said: “I have to ask you because it’s all that me and my friends have been talking about last night, after the show and today — and I’m not saying anything, you know, I think it’s the best thing that’s happened in the Olympics the entire time — did anyone see the breakdancing lady?”
She continued: “I didn’t even know breakdancing was an Olympic sport these days, I think that’s f***ing fantastic. I really, really do.”
After checking with her band members whether they’d seen the Paris 2024 footage, Adele added: “I can’t work out if it was a joke, but either way it has made me very, very happy. Me and my friends have been s****ing ourselves laughing for 24 hours.”
She added: “If you haven’t seen it, please leave the show and google it because it is lolz. It is so f***ing funny.”
Raygun’s performance perplexed Olympic fans and officials alike. Her routine included a move where she appeared to wriggle on the ground, which became an instant meme.
Dressed in the Team Australia tracksuit and cap rather than typical breaking gear and street clothes, Raygun said she could not compete athletically with her younger rivals so tried to be “new, different and creative.”
Breaking attracted significant ridicule as it made its Olympic debut as the only new sport to join the program for Paris 2024. B-girl Ami – Ami Yuasa, of Japan – won the inaugural gold medal.
It was Raygun, though, who stole the show. A university lecturer with a PhD in dance, gender politics, and the dynamics between theoretical and practical methodologies, she was Australia’s first Olympic qualifier for breaking after winning the QMS Oceania Championships in Sydney.
She said competing at the Olympics was “something that I never expected” after only picking up the sport in her mid-20s.
“All my moves are original,” Raygun said on her performance. “Creativity is really important to me. I go out there and I show my artistry.
Breaking will not appear at the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028 but Raygun defended its inclusion at Paris 2024 and said it should be considered for future Games.
Adele recently announced she’s planning a “big break” from music following her residency in Munich.
