Rachael “Raygun” Gunn, the Australian breaker whose unorthodox moves at the Paris Olympics made her the subject of online ridicule earlier this month, says the negative responses have “been pretty devastating.”
In a video posted to Instagram on Thursday, Gunn thanked those who have supported her, noting she was “glad I was able to bring some joy into your lives, before adding “I didn’t realize that that would also open the door to so much hate.”
Gunn participated in the Olympics inaugural breaking competition at the 2024 Summer Games, but lost in the first round. Judges awarded her a sum total of zero points for her routines.
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A 36-year-old academic armed with a PhD in cultural studies, for which she completed a thesis on Sydney’s breakdancing scene, her moves didn’t exactly get high marks from the public either.
Unlike the traditional flares, headspins, and windmills one would expect of a breakdancing performance, Gunn’s routines saw her rotating while lying on her side, curling forward to touch her toes, and hopping like a kangaroo. That led to a stream of riffs on her performance cartwheeling across social media.
“I went out there and I had fun, I did take it very seriously,” Gunn said, in her Instagram video. “I worked my butt off preparing for the Olympics and I gave my all. Truly.”
All the responses have not been negative. Many praised Gunn for her unusual dancing, arguing breaking, with its countercultural origins, should proudly defy notions of tradition. She has also garnered backing from Australian officials, politicians, and an Olympic judge.
Australia’s Olympic Committee came to her defense Thursday, releasing a firmly worded statement slamming “disgraceful” bullying of their athlete and demanding the removal of a “defamatory” petition on the website Change.org that contains a string of false allegations against Gunn, including that she “manipulated” the selection process to get into the games.
“The petition has stirred up public hatred without any factual basis,” said the Committee. “It’s appalling. No athlete who has represented their country at the Olympic Games should be treated in this way.”
In an emailed statement sent after this story was published, Change.org said it had removed the petition after it was flagged for misinformation. “Change.org maintains strict guidelines against content that constitutes harassment, bullying, or spreading false information,” the website said.
A spokesperson added that Change.org has reached out to the Australian Olympic Committee.
The chief breakdancing judge from the Paris Games also expressed his support for Gunn. “Breaking is all about originality and bringing something new to the table and representing your country or region,” he told reporters earlier this week. “This is exactly what Raygun was doing. She got inspired by her surroundings, which in this case, for example, was a kangaroo.”
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was effusive in his support, telling a Monday press conference that “Raygun had a crack, good on her, and a big shout out to her.”
