Australian breakdancer Raygun reveals she is retiring following backlash

Nov 07, 2024

Jack Aylmer Anchor

By Jack Aylmer (Anchor), Evan Hummel (Producer), Michael Edwards (Video Editor)

As reported on Thursday, Nov. 7, Raygun, the Australian breakdancer, who gained instant fame during the 2024 Olympic Games said she’s retiring from the sport, citing backlash online and beyond. Raygun, whose real name is Rachel Gunn, broke the news on an Australian podcast this week.

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She told the hosts that she wouldn’t compete in the Olympics again if given the chance. She said that she still breaks but doesn’t plan to participate competitively.

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“I’m not going to compete anymore, no, no,” Gunn said.

Gunn notably failed to score a single point in the Olympic competition. Online reaction to her performance was swift from gifs of Gunn’s dance moves.

In the weeks following her performance in August, the negative criticism turned into a movement. A Change.org petition was even created to get answers about the selection process for breaking during the Summer Games.

Gunn said everything from hate mail to conspiracy theories took all of the fun out of competing in the sport.

Although breaking is not on the schedule for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, Gunn said she won’t be breaking competitively anymore. Instead, she will just be doing it for fun and encouraging others to get out and bust a move.

Gunn said she’s kept her head up reading messages of support from fans and blocking out the negativity.

Despite her lack of success in Paris, Gunn represented Australia in the World Championships three times and won the Oceania Breaking Championships last year.

Tags: Australia, Los Angeles, Olympic Committee, Olympic Games, Olympics, Paris

[JACK AYLMER]

RAYGUN, THE AUSTRALIAN BREAKDANCER, WHO GAINED INSTANT FAME DURING THE 2024 OLYMPIC GAMES IN PARIS, SAYS SHE IS RETIRING FROM THE SPORT, CITING BACKLASH ONLINE AND BEYOND.

RAYGUN, WHOSE REAL NAME IS RACHEL GUNN, BROKE THE NEWS ON AN AUSTRALIAN PODCAST EARLIER THIS WEEK.

[RACHEL GUNN]

SAY IN FOUR YEAR TIMES, WOULD YOU DO THE OLYMPICS AGAIN?

NO.

YOU WOULDN’T DO IT AGAIN?

NOOOO.

DO YOU CONTINUE TO BREAK?

I STILL BREAK BUT I DONT’ COMPETE.

I’M NOT GONNA COMPETE ANYMORE.

NO. NO.

[JACK AYLMER]

GUNN NOTABLY FAILED TO SCORE A SINGLE POINT IN THE OLYMPIC COMPETITION.

ONLINE REACTION WAS SWIFT FROM MEMES TO GIFS OF GUNN’S DANCE MOVES.

IN THE WEEKS FOLLOWING HER PERFORMANCE IN AUGUST, THE NEGATIVE CRITICISM TURNED INTO A MOVEMENT.

A CHANGE-DOT-ORG PETITION WAS EVEN CREATED IN AN EFFORT TO GET ANSWERS ABOUT THE SELECTION PROCESS FOR BREAKING DURING THE GAMES.

GUNN SAYS EVERYTHING FROM HATEMAIL TO CONSPIRACY THEORIES ZAPPED THE FUN OUT OF COMPETING IN THE SPORT.

ALTHOUGH BREAKING WON’T BE PART OF THE 2028 OLYMPIC GAMES IN LOS ANGELES, GUNN SAYS SHE WON’T BE BREAKING COMPETIVELY ANYMORE, INSTEAD JUST DOING IT FOR FUN AND ENCOURAGING OTHERS TO GET OUT AND BUST A MOVE.

GUNN SAYS SHE’S KEPT HER HEAD UP READING MESSAGES OF SUPPORT FROM FANS AND BLOCKING OUT THE NEGATIVITY.

DESPITE HER LACK OF SUCCESS IN PARIS, GUNN REPRESENTED AUSTRALIA IN THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS THREE TIMES AND WON THE OCEANIA BREAKING CHAMPIONSHIPS LAST YEAR.

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FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS– I’M JACK AYLMER.