Australian breakdancer Raygun responds to Olympic performance backlash
By Jack Aylmer (Reporter/Producer), Ian Kennedy (Video Editor)
Australian breakdancer Rachel Gunn, widely known by her stage name “Raygun,” has spoken out for the first time about the significant backlash she received following her performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics. In an interview with Channel 10, Gunn discussed the criticism and allegations that emerged after her appearance at the Games.
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Raygun apologizes to breakdance community for backlash to her Paris Olympic performance
Click to see story on CNNRaygun says Olympics backlash ‘like a really weird dream’
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Click to see story on Metro News‘Raygun’ says she hasn’t yet watched her viral Olympic breaking performance
Click to see story on ABC AustraliaRaygun breaks silence: Paris criticism ‘alarming’
Click to see story on ESPNRaygun ‘sorry’ for Olympic breaking backlash but defends viral Paris performance
Click to see story on NBC NewsRaygun apologizes to breakdance community for backlash to her Paris Olympic performance
Click to see story on CTV NewsBreakdancer Raygun says she’s ‘very sorry’ in first post-Olympic interview
Click to see story on NZ HeraldAustralia’s ‘Raygun’ says sorry to breakdancing community for Olympic backlash
Click to see story on South China Morning PostRaygun: Australian breakdancer Rachael Gunn apologises for backlash after performance at Paris Olympics
Click to see story on Sky News UKAustralian breakdancer Raygun’s startling confession in first sit-down interview since Olympics disaster
Click to see story on New York PostScorned for Olympic dancing — apologizes to the sport
Click to see story on Dagens Nyheter.‘Very sorry’: Raygun breaks silence after Paris drama
Click to see story on 9NewsRight
Untracked Bias
‘Really sad’: Raygun breaks silence after Olympics saga
Click to see story on PerthNowAustralia’s Raygun ‘sorry’ about Olympic backlash
Click to see story on eNCARachael ‘Raygun’ Gunn Tells The Project She ‘Knew’ She’d Be Beaten At The Olympics
Click to see story on Pedestrian TVAustralian Breakdancer Racheal Gunn Addresses Community Backlash – The Global Herald
Click to see story on The Global HeraldAustralia’s Raygun ‘sorry’ about Olympic backlash
Click to see story on Macau BusinessControversial breakdancer Raygun opens up on mental anguish
Click to see story on thenightly.com.auGunn, who represented Australia in breakdancing’s Olympic debut, revealed that she was advised by her media liaison to step away from social media due to the mounting negative reactions.
“As soon as I finished my rounds, my media liaison from the [Australian Olympic Committee] said, ‘Oh, there’s a bit of a storm brewing on social media. You might want to go off socials,'” Gunn recounted. “And then I did preview some comments, and I was like, ‘Oh no.'”
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The backlash against Gunn was wide-ranging. In addition to critics of her breaking abilities, she faced accusations of manipulating the qualifying process to secure her spot in the Olympics and performing poorly on purpose during the competition.
In her interview, Gunn expressed her disappointment with the response, emphasizing that her approach was not unusual within the breaking community.
“It was really sad how much hate that it did evoke,” she said. “In the breaking community, what I did actually wasn’t very shocking. You know, it’s just a different approach in breaking.”
Gunn also firmly denied what she called “conspiracy theories” that suggested she had manipulated the entry process in her favor or intentionally underperformed.
“That was really upsetting because it wasn’t just people that didn’t understand breaking and were angry about my performance. It was people that are now attacking our reputation and our integrity,” she explained.
Looking ahead, breakdancing will not be returning to the Olympic stage in 2028 when the Games take place in Los Angeles, and Gunn says she has no immediate plans to compete again.
“I’m really happy that it gets to go back to being my medicine. I can kind of finally feel free again,” she said.
Jack Aylmer
AUSTRALIAN BREAKDANCER RACHEL GUNN – ALSO KNOWN AS RAYGUN- RECEIVED A LOT OF BACKLASH FOR HER PERFORMANCE AT THE 2024 PARIS OLYMPICS.
THERE WERE ACCUSATIONS THAT SHE RIGGED QUALIFYING COMPETITIONS TO PUT HERSELF IN THE GAMES.
CLAIMS THAT SHE PERFORMED POORLY ON PURPOSE.
AND LATE NIGHT TV PARODIES.
BUT NOW GUNN IS SPEAKING OUT ON ALL THE CRITICISM SHE’S BEEN SUBJECT TO.
SITTING DOWN FOR HER FIRST INTERVIEW SINCE THE OLYMPICS.
Rachel Gunn
“It was really sad how much hate that it did evoke … In the breaking community, what I did actually wasn’t very shocking. You know, it’s just a different approach in breaking.”
Jack Aylmer
GUNN WENT ON TO DENY RUMORS THAT SHE BOTH MANIPULATED THE ENTRY PROCESS IN HER FAVOR-
AND THREW THE COMPETITION INTENTIONALLY.
Rachel Gunn
Conspiracy theories were just awful. That was, that was really, that was upsetting, because it wasn’t just people that, you know, didn’t understand breaking and were just angry about my performance. It was people that are now attacking our, you know, our reputation and our integrity.
Jack Aylmer
BREAK DANCING WON’T BE RETURNING TO THE OLYMPIC STAGE IN 20-28 WHEN THE GAMES COME TO LOS ANGELES.
BUT FOR GUNN, SHE’S JUST GLAD THE SPORT SHE LOVES WILL NO LONGER BE A POINT OF STRESS FOR HER.
Rachel Gunn
I’m really happy that it gets to go back to being my medicine. I can kind of finally feel free again. So it’s, yeah, I’m looking forward to breaking but no, I don’t think I’ll compete for a while.
JACK AYLMER – STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS.
Media Landscape
See who else is reporting on this story and which side of the political spectrum they lean. To read other sources, click on the plus signs below. Learn more about this dataBias Distribution
Left
Raygun apologizes to breakdance community for backlash to her Paris Olympic performance
Click to see story on CNNRaygun says Olympics backlash ‘like a really weird dream’
Click to see story on Sydney Morning HeraldRaygun hits back at criticism over Olympic breakdance routine in first interview
Click to see story on Metro News‘Raygun’ says she hasn’t yet watched her viral Olympic breaking performance
Click to see story on ABC AustraliaRaygun breaks silence: Paris criticism ‘alarming’
Click to see story on ESPNRaygun ‘sorry’ for Olympic breaking backlash but defends viral Paris performance
Click to see story on NBC NewsRaygun apologizes to breakdance community for backlash to her Paris Olympic performance
Click to see story on CTV NewsBreakdancer Raygun says she’s ‘very sorry’ in first post-Olympic interview
Click to see story on NZ HeraldAustralia’s ‘Raygun’ says sorry to breakdancing community for Olympic backlash
Click to see story on South China Morning PostRaygun: Australian breakdancer Rachael Gunn apologises for backlash after performance at Paris Olympics
Click to see story on Sky News UKAustralian breakdancer Raygun’s startling confession in first sit-down interview since Olympics disaster
Click to see story on New York PostScorned for Olympic dancing — apologizes to the sport
Click to see story on Dagens Nyheter.‘Very sorry’: Raygun breaks silence after Paris drama
Click to see story on 9NewsRight
Untracked Bias
‘Really sad’: Raygun breaks silence after Olympics saga
Click to see story on PerthNowAustralia’s Raygun ‘sorry’ about Olympic backlash
Click to see story on eNCARachael ‘Raygun’ Gunn Tells The Project She ‘Knew’ She’d Be Beaten At The Olympics
Click to see story on Pedestrian TVAustralian Breakdancer Racheal Gunn Addresses Community Backlash – The Global Herald
Click to see story on The Global HeraldAustralia’s Raygun ‘sorry’ about Olympic backlash
Click to see story on Macau BusinessControversial breakdancer Raygun opens up on mental anguish
Click to see story on thenightly.com.auStraight to your inbox.
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