Skip to main content

Australian Olympic breakdancer Rachael Gunn said the hate she received over her routines at the Paris Games is “devastating.”

The 36-year-old B-girl, who performs as Raygun, responded to the intense and relentless online criticism in a short video message posted Thursday on Instagram.

She began by thanking her supporters.

“I really appreciate the positivity and I’m glad I was able to bring some joy into your lives,” she said. “That’s what I’d hoped.”

Gunn said she didn’t realize that would also “open the door to so much hate, which has frankly been pretty devastating.”

Social media memes and skits re-creating her dance exploded on the internet after clips of her routine went viral. One move in particular — where Gunn holds her arms close to her body and kicks one leg in the air as she leans back — was quickly dubbed the “kangaroo” in reference to her native country.

Gunn said in her post on Thursday that she “had fun” with her routine, but took 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 part of breaking’s Olympic debut,” she said.

Gunn didn’t specifically address rumors surrounding her performance and instead referred critics who questioned how she made the team to statements the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) and others released in her defense.Early Thursday, AOC Chief Executive Officer Matt Carroll said in a statement that Gunn was selected for the team “through a transparent and independent qualification event and nomination process.”

He also slammed a Change.org petition that accused Gunn of “manipulating the selection process to her own advantage.” The petition demanded an apology from Gunn and Paris Chef de Mission Anna Meares. The petition has more than 56,000 signatures.

“It is disgraceful that these falsehoods concocted by an anonymous person can be published in this way. It amounts to bullying and harassment and is defamatory. We are demanding that it be removed from the site immediately,” Carroll said, adding that the petition has no factual basis.

Rachael Gunn during the B-Girls Round Robin at the Olympics
Rachael Gunn during the B-girls round robin at the Olympics in Paris on Aug. 9.Ezra Shaw / Getty Images

The Australian Breaking Organization said in a statement Tuesday that the qualification process was conducted over two days and adhered to the World DanceSport Federation regulations, which align with the International Olympic Committee’s standards.Gunn and fellow Aussie breaker Jeff Dunne were the top performers, the organization said.

“We condemn the global online harassment and bullying of Raygun. The pressure to perform on the Olympic stage is immense, especially against the opponents in her particular group. We stand in solidarity with Raygun,” the organization said.

Martin Gilian, the head judge of the Olympic breaking competition, said Gunn “did her best” but “her level was maybe not as high as the other competitors.”

“Good on her for having a go and wearing a trackie while you’re doing it,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in a recent radio interview. “I mean, how Australian is that?”

The World DanceSport Federation, the international governing body for breaking, said it had offered Gunn mental health support.

Gunn went on to address social media posts mocking her for getting zero points from the Olympic judges.

“Bit of a fun fact for you: There are actually no points in breaking,” she said, urging people to check the Olympics’ website to see how the judges thought she compared to the other competitors.

The Olympic website, however, says that judges score 1-on-1 battles on creativity, musicality, personality, technique, performativity and variety. The judges then submit their votes after each round and the breaker with the highest points is declared the winner.

Gunn ended her post by asking for privacy for her family and the breaking community.

“Everyone has been through a lot as a result of this,” she said, adding that she will answer questions once she returns from some “preplanned downtime” in Europe.


Source link