Australian breakdancer Rachael Gunn has said she is “very sorry” for the backlash following her performance at the Olympics – but suggested much of the criticism was due to ignorance of the sport.
The 37-year-old, who is known competitively as ‘Raygun’, went viral for the dance moves in her routine in Paris last month.
The university lecturer was mocked online and in the media for everything from her moves to her green official team uniform in a frenzy of criticism she described as “alarming”.
Gunn, who failed to earn a single point, said she had received plenty of support – but admitted it was sad to hear criticism from other Australian breakdancers, also known as breakers.
In her first interview since the Olympics, she told Australia’s Channel 10 TV: “I am very sorry for the backlash that the community has experienced, but I can’t control how people react.
“Unfortunately, we just need some more resources in Australia for us to have a chance to be world champions.
“In the last year, I have trained my hardest … I have really put my body through it, put my mind through it. But if that’s not good enough for someone, what can I say?”
Gunn said a lot of the criticism came from people who did not understand the different styles of breaking.
“It was really sad how much hate that it did evoke,” she added.
“And a lot of the responses is also just due to people not being very familiar with breaking and the diversity of approaches in breaking.”
Gunn insisted she was the best female breaker in Australia.
“I think my record speaks to that,” she said. “I was the top ranked Australian B girl in 2020 and 2022, and 2023… so the record is there.
“But anything can happen in a battle.”
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The TV interview came after Gunn revealed in August how the “hate” directed towards her had been “pretty devastating“.
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Gunn lost all three of her round robin battles by a combined score of 54-0 when breaking made its Olympic debut at the Place de la Concorde.
She became something of an internet meme after representing Australia and completing a “kangaroo dance”.
The professor with a Ph. D in cultural studies failed to impress judges as she completed moves including raising one leg while standing and leaning back with her arms bent toward her ears. In another, while laying on her side, she reached for her toes, flipped over and did it again.