Australian breakdancer Raygun, whose real name is Rachael Gunn, is finally addressing the controversy that erupted following her performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where she faced a wave of backlash and cheating allegations.
In an emotional Instagram video shared on Thursday, August 15, Raygun began by expressing gratitude to those who have supported her throughout her Olympic journey. “Hi everyone, Raygun here. I just want to start by thanking all the people who have supported me,” the 36-year-old breakdancer said. “I really appreciate the positivity, and I’m glad I was able to bring some joy into your lives. That’s what I hoped. I didn’t realize that that would also open the door to so much hate, which has frankly been pretty devastating.”
Raygun emphasized that despite the criticism, she took her Olympic preparation very seriously. “While I went out there and I had fun, I did take it very seriously,” she explained. “I worked my butt off, preparing for the Olympics, and I gave my all, truly.”
As one of the pioneering athletes in the Olympic debut of Breaking, Raygun expressed her pride in being part of the Australian Olympic Team. “I was honored to have been a part of the Australian Olympic Team and to be part of Breaking’s Olympic debut,” she said, adding that the accomplishments of her fellow Olympians were “phenomenal.”
However, the joy of her participation was overshadowed by swirling rumors and accusations. Addressing the “allegations and misinformation” surrounding her performance, Raygun directed her followers to official statements made by the Australian Olympic Committee, the AUSBreaking Instagram page, and the WDSF Breaking for Gold page for accurate information.
Raygun’s unconventional breaking routines at the Paris Games quickly went viral, sparking a mixed reaction from viewers, particularly after she lost all three of her Olympic Breaking matches. Critics flooded social media, accusing her of underperforming and even questioning her place on the team. One widespread misconception was that she scored zero points during her routines—a claim Raygun was quick to debunk.
“There are actually no points in breaking,” she clarified in her Instagram video. “What I wanted to do was come out here and do something new and different and creative—that’s my strength, my creativity. I was never going to beat these girls on what they do best, the dynamic and the power moves, so I wanted to move differently, be artistic and creative because how many chances do you get that in a lifetime to do that on an international stage?”
Olympic chief breaking judge Martin Gilian, known in the hip-hop community as MGbility, supported Raygun’s approach, praising her for her originality. “She created some original moves which could be maybe funny or entertaining for others, but for us, she basically represented breaking and hip-hop,” he told reporters. “She was trying to be original and bring something new to the table. From our perspective, that was nothing really shocking.”
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Raygun encouraged her followers to visit Olympics.com to view how she was evaluated across the five criteria used to judge Breaking at the Games, where they could see a detailed comparison of how she stacked up against her opponents.
Despite her efforts to clarify the situation, Raygun found herself at the center of a cheating scandal, with some fans accusing her of manipulating the selection process to secure her spot on Team Australia.
A petition was even launched by a group of fans who believed she had been chosen over more deserving dancers. The petition, which has garnered over 57,000 signatures as of Thursday, demands that Australia uphold the principles of fairness, transparency, and integrity in Olympic selection.
In response, AUSBreaking issued a statement on August 13, defending Raygun’s selection as fair and based solely on her performance during the selection battles. The organization also condemned the “global online harassment and bullying of Raygun,” standing in solidarity with the athlete.
As the dust settles from the Paris Olympics, Raygun is taking some well-deserved “pre-planned downtime” in Europe. Despite the intense scrutiny, she remains focused on her well-being and has called for an end to the harassment of her family, friends, and the broader Australian and street dance communities.
“Everyone has been through a lot as a result of this, so I ask you to please respect their privacy,” Raygun urged in her closing remarks. “I’ll be happy to answer more questions on my return to Australia. Thanks, everyone.”
With her candid response, Raygun hopes to clear the air and shift the focus back to her passion for breaking and the creative expression that defines her as an athlete.
