Australian breakdancer Rachael “Raygun” Gunn has defended herself against criticism of her performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
In her first sit-down interview since having her moves go viral after competing in the group stage of the competition in France, she said what she experienced afterwards put her “in a state of panic”.
In an online clip promoting Wednesday night’s full interview with The Project television show, the 36-year-old b-girl and academic said it has been “sad to hear criticism” and that she was “sorry for the backlash” the Australian breaking community had experienced.
Gunn was , where the sport made its Olympic debut.
Her performance, which included moves such as the now-famous “kangaroo hop”, went viral online and drew both praise and ridicule.
Gunn scored zero in her three breaking battles and failed to progress through the group stage.
While theories about her manipulating the selection process to get to the Olympics took hold online, the Australian Olympic Committee responded to say Gunn’s selection had been “legitimate”,
In the promo clip, The Project host Waleed Aly asked Gunn if she genuinely thought she was the best female breakdancer in Australia, to which she replied: “My record speaks to that.”
She had previously told her social media followers the “hate” she had received following her Olympic performance had been “pretty devastating”.
“I gave my all, truly,” she had said.
Source Agencies
