Controversial Australian breakdancer Rachael ‘Raygun’ Gunn has announced her retirement from competition, revealing that the backlash from her appearance at the Paris Olympics has taken a toll.
Gunn’s performance at the 2024 Games, in which she failed to score a single point, became a worldwide sensation, inspiring countless memes and parody performances, while in Australia, there was widespread outrage over the selection process that sent the university lecturer to the Olympics over other candidates.
Conspiracy theories included unfounded accusations Gunn and husband Samuel Free set up her own breakdancing selection governing body that guaranteed her nomination, with a change.org petition demanding she and Australian chef de mission Anna Meares be ‘held accountable’ receiving over 45,000 signatures before being slammed as ‘bullying and harassment’ by the Australian Olympic Committee.
Three months on from the Games, Gunn revealed on 2DayFM’s Jimmy and Nath for Breakfast that her professional breaking days are over.
“I still break, but I don’t compete. I’m not going to compete anymore,” she said.
“I was going to keep competing, for sure, but that seems really difficult for me to do now to approach a battle.
“I still dance, and I still break. But, you know, that’s like in my living room with my partner!
“It’s [the Olympic backlash] been really upsetting. I just didn’t have any control over how people saw me or who I was.
“Dancing is so much fun, and it makes you feel good. I don’t think people should feel crap about the way that they dance. If you get out there, and you have fun on the dance floor then just own it.”
Gunn laughed in response to a question about whether she would un-retire should breaking, which made its Olympic debut in Paris, have been included on the program for the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.
“No,” she said. “Noooooo!”
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