Additional Coverage:
- Olympic Breakdancer Rachael ‘Raygun’ Gunn Calls Criticism ‘Alarming,’ Blames ‘Uneducated’ Viewers (newsbreak.com)
Olympic breakdancer Rachael “Raygun” Gunn recently responded to critics of her performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics, describing the criticism as “uneducated” and expressing concern over the harsh nature of the attacks.
Gunn, age 37, became a talking point on social media after her unconventional approach resulted in losing all of her matches in the round-robin phase with a total score of 54-0 against her. Despite these defeats, she stated that she rightfully earned her position on Team Australia as the country’s premier breakdancer.
“My track record supports my position,” Gunn remarked during a September 4 interview with Channel 10 TV in Australia. “I consistently ranked as the top Australian B-girl in recent years… Anything can happen in a battle.”
This was her first media appearance since her Olympic stint, where she mentioned that the negative feedback stemmed from a misunderstanding of her intentions.
Gunn, a university lecturer by profession, also dealt with allegations of unfairly influencing the selection process to get her Olympic spot. An online petition, signed by over 50,000 people, accused her of setting up her own breakdancing governing body and overlooking other talented dancers. It also claimed she prevented a promising youth group from obtaining funding needed for their qualification efforts.
The Australian Olympic Committee has since dismissed the petition as “vexatious, misleading and bullying.”
Defending her dedication and training regimen, Gunn noted, “I’ve given my all this past year, pushing both my body and mind to their limits. If that’s still not enough, I’m not sure what else to say.”
She hinted at not competing again but reassured her supporters that she remains resilient amidst the criticism. Gunn prefers to focus on the positive impacts and joy her participation brought to viewers, despite the controversies surrounding her Olympic journey.