In her first television interview since the controversial performance at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics, Australian breakdancer Rachael Gunn, known in the breakdancing world as 'Raygun,' confronted the backlash and criticism.
In the interview with The Project, an Australian news talk show, Gunn reflected on her preparation and dedication, saying, "While I went out there and had fun, I did take it very seriously. I worked my butt off preparing for the Olympics and I gave my all, truly."
Gunn's performance in the breakdance competition got zero points. It included moves like the kangaroo hop and sprinkler, and quickly went viral and mocked online for its apparent lack of skill and athleticism. Her performance was described as "underwhelming" by critics, leading to accusations of manipulations in the Australian Olympic selection process.
The backlash was so severe that it led her to seek mental health help and temporarily withdraw from social media, Gunn said. She admitted to finding the criticism "frankly pretty devastating."
The performance elicited a range of reactions, notably drawing remarks from celebrities such as Adele, who said, "I can't work out if it was a joke... it has made me very, very happy." Adele called Gunn her "favorite thing" about the Olympics in a concert in Germany.
Gunn's said she had a "sick feeling" when she realized the scale of criticism. "As soon as I finished my rounds, my media liaison from the AOC said, 'Oh, there's a bit of a storm brewing on social media.'" She described the conspiracy theories surrounding her as "awful" and addressed the "frightening hate" targeted at her and her family,
Critics did not hold back in questioning the legitimacy of her performance. Allegations of nepotism and a rigged competition surfaced, even labeling her performance as a hoax.
"I knew I was going to get beaten and that no one was going to understand my style," Gunn said.
The controversy extended to accusations of manipulating the selection process, further fueled by a Change.org petition. The petition was eventually flagged for misinformation and described by the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) as "vexatious, misleading and bullying." AOC Chief Executive Officer Matt Carroll defended Gunn's selection, saying she was chosen "through a transparent and independent qualification event and nomination process."
In her interview, Gunn also acknowledged the emotional toll of the backlash, describing the panic she felt when chased by reporters: "If people are chasing me, what do I do? But that really did put me in a state of panic"
"We need more resources in Australia to beat world champions. We haven't had the best track record" in global competitions, she said.
Breakdancing, or breaking, is set to be dropped from the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
This article was written in collaboration with Generative AI news company Alchemiq
Sources: myjoyonline.com, New York Post, AP, NPR