Rachael “Raygun” Gunn, the Australian breakdancer, has been devastated by the continuous online mocking of her after an underwhelming performance at the Paris Olympics 2024. After a controversial debut of breaking at the Olympic Games in Paris earlier this month, the unique routine of Raygun captured the attention of the world for the wrong reasons.
During the Paris Olympics 2024, the breaking performance of Raygun, featuring one move compared to a kangaroo hopping, led to her suffering defeats against three of her rivals, also known as the B-Girls. After her routine was shared online on various social media platforms, a storm of memes, jokes, and hurtful things about Raygun came from all over the world.
It has frankly been pretty devastating: Raygun
In a video on her official Instagram account, an emotional Raygun shared her side of the story, while asking the fans to stop harassing her, her family and friends, and the Australian breaking community. She said, “Hi everyone, Raygun here. I just want to start by thanking all the people who have supported me, I really appreciate the positivity and I’m glad I was able to bring some joy into your lives, that’s what I hoped.
“I didn’t realize that that would also open the door to so much hate, which has frankly been pretty devastating. While I went out there and I had fun, I did take it very seriously. I worked my butt off preparing for the Olympics and I gave my all, truly. I’m honored to have been a part of the Australian Olympic team and to be part of breaking’s Olympic debut. What the other athletes have achieved has just been phenomenal,” she added.
Moreover, a petition was filed on Change.org, asking for an apology from Rachael “Raygun” Gunn and the chef de mission of Australia at the Paris Olympics 2024, Anna Meares, received more than 54,000 signatures. It led to the petition being “flagged for misinformation,” and removed from the platform after review.