Australian Olympian Racheal Gunn has apologized to the national breakdancing community after her controversial performance in Paris made global headlines and sparked a “backlash” from them.
Gunn, who plays Raygun, was eliminated from the B-Girls competition with zero points, prompting users on social media to mock and praise her unorthodox style.
She was interviewed for the first time since participating in the Olympics – in the middle of a question on her qualifications and performance – Gunn was asked if she really thought she was the best female breakdancer in Australia.
“I think my record speaks for itself,” she told Network 10’s The Project.
“It’s really sad to hear the criticism, and I’m very sorry for the backlash the community has experienced, but I can’t control people’s reactions,” she continued, responding to the amount of criticism she’s received online for her daily actions.
The 36-year-old university lecturer, who failed in all three of her Olympic appearances, inspired a flood of memes with her green tracksuit and wacky antics, which included a splash and a kangaroo jump.
After the show, Gunn faced accusations of rigging the selection process, including accusations that she set up her own management agency and that her husband judged her eligibility trials.
Several organizations have since condemned the claims as false, including the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) and the World DanceSport Federation (WDSF).
“Conspiracy theories are horrible,” Gunn told Network 10.
“I’m the highest-ranked Australian B-girl in 2020, 2022 and 2023. How many world championships have I been asked to represent…so, the record is there. But in a fight anything can happen,” she said added.
Gunn, who has a background as a jazz, tap and ballroom dancer, has publicly defended the “artistic and creative” nature of her dance performances.
“I’m never going to beat these girls at the things they do best, like dynamic and power moves, so I want to do different moves,” she said last month.
The top judges overseeing the B-Girls competition also Leave your own power behind Gunnas well as team officials and the wider Olympic breakdancing community.
But the aftermath has divided and disappointed those involved in the sport in Australia.
Australian hip-hop pioneer Spice previously told the BBC: “It makes a mockery of the Australian music industry and I think that’s why a lot of us are hurting.”
Breakdancing, a hip-hop-inspired dance born in New York City in the 1970s, was introduced into this year’s Olympic schedule in a bid to attract younger audiences to the games.
But some critics say it shouldn’t be included at all due to the organic nature of the genre, which doesn’t necessarily lend itself to organized competition.
In a video posted to her Instagram after the show in Paris, Gunn directly called on the media to stop “harassing” her family and friends.
In an interview with Network 10, she described the experience of being hounded by reporters following the incident as “really crazy”.
“It definitely sent me into a panic…dancing was my medicine, and then it became my stressor,” she said.
Gunn admitted she was “not there yet” to watch her performance, but she was moved by the support she received from Olympians and some members of the public at the closing ceremony.
“It warms my heart,” she said. “I prefer to focus on the positive side of this and the joy I bring to people.”
