Olympic breakdancer Raygun breaks silence after viral disaster at Paris Games

'I have seen little bits and pieces, but I will watch it eventually'

Published Sep 04, 2024  •  Last updated 4 minutes ago  •  2 minute read

Australian breakdancer Raygun reacts during the Summer Olympics in Paris. Getty Images

In her first sit-down interview since going viral for her disastrous performance at the Paris Olympics this summer, Australian breakdancer Rachael “Raygun” Gunn made a stunning confession.

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She has not yet watched a video of her full routine from the Games.

“I have seen little bits and pieces, but I will watch it eventually,” Gunn told The Project, an Australian news and current affairs show.

The 36-year-old Raygun went viral for her controversial demonstration, which included moves that resembled kangaroo hopping, rolling on the floor like a toddler and doing the sprinkler.

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It was an instant sensation online – but not in a good way. Many users on social media were quick to mock the Aussie and there was instant backlash over how she could qualify for the Games.

Gunn also admitted she couldn’t bring herself to watch a sketch on Jimmy Fallon’s The Tonight Show which poked fun at her.

“I haven’t actually watched the sketch because I don’t think I am in a place to watch it,” Gunn said, adding she had mixed emotions about the skit performed by SNL alum Rachel Dratch.

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“I don’t know whether to hug him or yell at him,” she said referring to Fallon.

Gunn, who failed to score a single point in her three Olympic battles, defended her record but also apologized to Australia’s breakdancing community.

When asked if she genuinely thought she was the country’s best female breakdancer, Gunn responded: “I think my record speaks to that.”

“I was the top-ranked Australian B-girl in 2020 and 2022 and 2023. I have been invited to represent at how many World Championships.

“So, the record is there. But anything can happen in a battle.”

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Raygun also said that the team’s media liaison told her after the event that she “might want to go off socials” as the routine went viral.

“As soon as I finished my rounds, my media liaison from the AOC said, ‘Oh, there’s a bit of a storm brewing on social media. You might want to go off socials.’ I didn’t understand the scale of it. I did preview some comments, and I was like, ‘Oh, no,’ and this kind of sick feeling started coming out,” she said.

“It is really sad to hear those criticisms and I am very sorry for the backlash that the community has experienced, but I can’t control how people react.”

Gunn also addressed conspiracy theories which surfaced following the Games, claiming that she manipulated her way into a berth at the Olympics.

“The conspiracy theories were just awful,” Gunn said. “The energy and vitriol that people had was pretty alarming.”

The allegations were denounced by the AOC and World DanceSport Federation.

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