Regardless of whether or not you watched the Olympics this year, you've probably heard of Australian breakdancer Raygun or at least seen snippets of her 2024 Paris Olympics performance, which has been made fun of, mocked, and criticized. Some people have even started rumors about how Raygun, whose real name is Rachael Gunn, qualified for the Olympics because they didn't think she deserved to be there. Hoping to put an end to some of the "hate" that has been directed at her, the 36-year-old b-girl and college professor is now speaking out to address the backlash.
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She says the backlash has been 'devastating' for her.
In a video shared on Instagram, Raygun started by addressing the people who have been supportive.
"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," she said. "That's what I hoped."
Although some people enjoyed the performance, others took to social media to ridicule it and spread rumors about how Raygun qualified for the Olympics.
"I didn't realize that that would also open the door to so much hate, which has frankly been pretty devastating," Raygun added.
Her performance was not a joke.
Some social media users were convinced Raygun was simply trolling or that her performance at the Olympics was part of a "skit."
"I am just patiently waiting for Rachael Gunn to come out and tell us Raygun was a persona she created as a joke to see if she could get in and troll the Olympics, at which point I will give her a standing ovation," one person wrote on X.
Raygun, who is also a college professor with a PhD in cultural studies, insisted in her video that although she did want to have fun, she also took her performance seriously.
"I worked my butt off preparing for the Olympics, and I gave my all, truly," she said.
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Competing in the Olympics was an honor, she said.
Breaking made its debut at the Paris Olympics, and Raygun said she was thrilled to be a part of it.
"I'm honored to have been a part of the Australian Olympic team, and to be part of breaking Olympic debut," she said. "What the other athletes have achieved has just been phenomenal."
She encouraged people to seek out more information instead of spreading rumors.
Some critics of Raygun have taken their critiques a step further and have accused her of "manipulating" the selection process in order to qualify for the Olympics. A petition on Change.org alleged that Raygun's husband was a judge at the qualifying event. In her video, Raygun referred to such theories as "allegations and misinformation."
She encouraged people to look at the statements released by the Australian Olympic Committee, the Australian Breaking Association and WDSF Breaking For Gold.
The Australian Olympic Committee called out the petition for 'falsehoods.'
In its statement, the committee addressed "numerous falsehoods designed to engender hatred against an athlete who was selected in the Australian Olympic Team through a transparent and independent qualification event and nomination process."
The committee listed several facts, stating that Raygun "was legitimately nominated by DanceSport Australia to the AOC for selection in the Australian Olympic Team." Additionally, the statement noted that Raygun's husband was not a judge for the qualifying event.
