Australian Olympian Rachael “Raygun” Gunn has finally sat down for an interview to discuss her break-dancing performance that earned zero points at the 2024 Paris Games and sparked a viral and increasingly vitriolic debate. In an interview with Channel 10 program The Project, she addressed the intense backlash she received, including “conspiracy theories,” and revealed the future of her break dancing career.
Australian Olympic break dancer Rachael "Raygun" Gunn opened up about her viral routine and subsequent backlash in an interview with The Project
Image credits: The Project
Image credits: raygun_aus
Speaking to co-host Waleed Aly, the B-girl divulged that she was mostly unaware of the social media firestorm that erupted in the days after her performance. The frenzy included Adele stopping one of her shows to laugh at it and Jimmy Fallon satirizing it in a sketch on The Tonight Show, with Rachel Dratch playing the Australian athlete. On the advice of her social media liaison, she went off social media shortly after competing.
Raygun revealed she was initially unaware of the backlash to her performance because she got off social media
Image credits: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
However, as the backlash intensified, she was regularly accosted in public, which she says put her in a “state of panic.” Finally, she had to face the criticism after it turned toward her husband and her crew in what she believed were “conspiracy theories.”
Indeed, she insists that claims that she cheated her way into the Olympics or was granted a place on the team thanks to her husband are “not grounded in any kind of facts.” When asked how she qualified for the Paris Games, her answer was blunt: “I won the Oceania championships.” She says no judge at that contest had ever seen her perform before.
The B-girl denies the "conspiracy theories" that emerged about her placement on the Olympic team after her routine went increasingly viral
Image credits: The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
In fact, the ballroom dancer-turned-breaker believes she earned her spot on the team. She insists she’s the “best female breaker in Australia.”
“My record speaks to that,” she told the Australian journalist. “I was the top-ranked Australian B-girl in 2020, 2022, and 2023.”
Image credits: australiansportsmuseum
Image credits: ippppppppy/raygun_aus
The break-dancing researcher also rejects the narrative that she’s taking a spot from breakers from marginalized communities. Despite the fact that she actually published a paper pointing out that breaking as a sport can exclude the minorities that usually participate in it, she puts the blame on a lack of “resources in Australia.” She wants the community to encourage more breakers to take part in official competitions.
Raygun revealed that she plans to continue breaking, but not at the competitive level
Image credits: The Project
Regardless, she won’t be taking a spot from anyone going forward. Even though the Hornsby native has enjoyed the “positive response” to her Olympic performance, including a supportive call from Sir Richard Branson, she doesn’t plan on competing “for a while.”
“Not really wanting to be in the spotlight,” she confided. “[Breaking] was my medicine, and it turned into my source of stress.”
“I can finally feel free again.”
"Love her or hate her, she spoke well," a viewer commented
