Australian breakdancer Rachael "Raygun" Gunn, one of the most talked-about figures from breakdancing's debut at the Paris 2024 Olympics for the wrong reasons, has confirmed her retirement from competitive breakdancing. (More Sports News)
Gunn revealed that the harsh backlash following her performance at the Paris Olympics played a major role in her decision.
Gunn, also known as B-girl Raygun, failed to score in all three of her competition rounds in August, with a routine that featured unconventional moves like the sprinkler and a kangaroo hop.
The 37-year-old university lecturer's performance garnered global attention, drawing ridicule and fueling conspiracy theories about her qualification, while also sparking renewed criticism of breakdancing's inclusion in the Olympics.
Raygun performed unorthodox moves like the kangaroo hop at the Paris Olympics 2024, leaving many shocked. Yet, she later stunned everyone by claiming the top spot in breaking’s latest world rankings.
Gunn told a Sydney radio station that she plans to retire from competition just three months after her unconventional routine at the Paris Olympics led to ridicule and sparked conspiracy theories about her qualification for the Games.
She said, "I just didn't have any control over how people saw me or who I was. I was going to keep competing, for sure, but that seems really difficult for me to do now. I think the level of scrutiny that's going to be there, and people will be filming it, and it will go online."
Breakdancing was contested at the Olympics for the first time, but it may be a one-time event, as it’s not scheduled for the Olympic program in Los Angeles 2028 or Brisbane 2032. Gunn’s routine became a focal point, leading many to question why breakdancing was even included in the Olympics.
She claimed that people began chasing her after the controversy surrounding her performance, with cameras following her through the streets of Paris. In an interview with The Project on Australia’s Channel 10 in September, Rachael “Raygun” Gunn described how she struggled with the intense public reaction.
“That was really wild,” she said. “If people are chasing me, what do I do? That really put me in a state of panic. I was nervous to be out in public. It was pretty nerve-wracking for a while.”
Gunn added, "People didn’t understand breaking and were just angry about my performance," she added. "The conspiracy theories were awful, and that was really upsetting. People are attacking our reputation and integrity, none of it was based on facts."
Gunn's performance was mocked both online and on television, even being featured in a sketch on Jimmy Fallon's late-night TV show.
