Australian Olympic breakdancer Rachael Gunn has said the hate she received over her routines at the Paris Games was “devastating”.
The 36-year-old B-girl, who performs under the name Raygun, responded to the intense and relentless online criticism in a short video message posted to Instagram on Thursday.
She began by thanking her supporters.
“I really appreciate your positivity and I’m glad I was able to bring some joy into your lives,” she said. “That’s what I was hoping for.”
Gunn said she didn’t realize it would “also open the door to so much hate, which has honestly been pretty devastating.”
Social media memes and skits recreating his dance have exploded online after clips of his routine went viral. One move in particular — where Gunn holds his arms close to his body and lifts one leg into the air while leaning back — was quickly dubbed the “kangaroo” in reference to his home country.
Gunn said in her Thursday post that she “had fun” with her routine, but took it very seriously.
“I worked hard to prepare for the Olympics and really gave it my all. I am honoured to have been part of the Australian Olympic team and to have been part of breakdancing’s Olympic debut,” she said.
Gunn has not specifically addressed the rumors surrounding her performance and instead referred critics who questioned how she was selected for the team to statements the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) and others have released in her defense. Early Thursday, AOC chief executive Matt Carroll said in a statement that Gunn was selected for the team “through a transparent and independent qualifying event and nomination process.”
He also criticized a petition on Change.org that accused Gunn of “manipulating the selection process for his own benefit.” The petition demanded an apology from Gunn and Paris mission chief Anna Meares. The petition has more than 56,000 signatures.
“It is outrageous that these lies, invented by an anonymous person, can be published in this manner. This is bullying, harassment and defamatory. We demand that this information be immediately removed from the site,” Carroll said, adding that the petition had no factual basis.
The Australian breakdancing organization said in a statement Tuesday that the qualification process took place over two days and followed World DanceSport Federation regulations, which are in line with International Olympic Committee standards. Gunn and fellow Australian Jeff Dunne were the top performers, the organization said.
“We condemn the online harassment and bullying against Raygun. The pressure to perform on the Olympic stage is immense, especially against opponents in his group. We stand in solidarity with Raygun,” the organization said.
Martin Gilian, head judge of the Olympic breaking competition, said Gunn “did his best” but “his level was perhaps not as high as the other competitors”.
“Good on her for taking a chance and wearing a tracksuit while she was 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 then responded to social media posts mocking her for receiving zero points from Olympic judges.
“Fun fact for you: There’s actually no point in breaking,” she said, urging people to check the Olympics website to see how the judges thought she compared to other competitors.
The Olympic website states, however, that judges evaluate the one-on-one bouts based on creativity, musicality, personality, technique, performance and variety. The judges then submit their votes after each round, and the breaker with the most points is declared the winner.
Gunn ended his message by asking for privacy for his family and the breakdancing community.
“Everyone has been through a lot because of this,” she said, adding that she would answer questions once she returned from a “planned shutdown” in Europe.
