Australian breakdancer Rachael “Raygun” Gunn has announced her decision to retire from competitive breaking following intense backlash over her performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Despite once being hailed as a rising star, Gunn’s Olympic debut, which saw her lose all three of her round-robin battles with a combined score of 54-0, sparked ridicule across social media and mainstream media.
Gunn, who is also a university lecturer, quickly became a target for criticism, with many mocking everything from her breaking technique to the green team kit she wore during the event. The 37-year-old dancer expressed her disappointment and emotional toll in an interview with Sydney’s 2DayFM, revealing that she could no longer bear the thought of competing at a high level.
“I’m not going to compete anymore, no,” Gunn said. “I was going to keep competing, for sure, but that seems really difficult for me to do now to approach a battle. Yeah, I mean I still dance, and I still break, but that’s like in my living room with my partner.”
Though Gunn remains passionate about breaking and continues to dance privately, the weight of public scrutiny has proven overwhelming. She shared that the experience has been deeply upsetting, particularly her inability to control how people viewed her.
The backlash included an online petition accusing Gunn of manipulating the qualification process to secure her spot at the Paris Games, which amassed 50,000 signatures before it was removed at the request of the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC). Further controversy surrounded claims that her husband and coach, Samuel Free, had an unfair influence on her selection. However, both Gunn and the AOC refuted these conspiracy theories.
Despite the criticisms, Gunn has focused on the positive support she’s received from fans and fellow dancers. She highlighted messages from individuals who shared how her journey had inspired them to pursue their own passions, saying, “The people that have said, ‘you have inspired me to go out there and do something that I’ve been too shy to do,’ that’s what gets me through.”
Additionally, Gunn confirmed that if breakdancing were to return to the Olympics for the 2028 Los Angeles Games, she would not reconsider her decision to retire from competitive battles
Source: Swifteradio.com
