For Australian breaker Rachael Gunn, the aftermath of her polarizing performance at the Olympics was both distressing and surreal as she found herself chased through the streets of Paris.
The 37-year-old university lecturer from Sydney — who celebrated her birthday on Monday — mystified both experts and casual viewers of the breaking community with her unconventional routine that included mimicking a kangaroo. Breaking, as an Olympic sport, made its debut, yet its future seems uncertain, with no planned inclusion in the Los Angeles 2028 or Brisbane 2032 games.
Known by her nickname “Raygun,” Gunn faced a social media onslaught post-performance, with critics questioning the Olympic qualifying process. Speaking in a rare public appearance on Australia’s Channel 10 program, The Project, she recounted her harrowing experience in Paris.
“That was really wild,” Gunn said. “If people are chasing me, what do I do? That really did put me in a state of panic. I was nervous to be out in public. It was pretty nerve-wracking for a while.”
Despite the backlash, Gunn apologized for the commotion and stood firm in defense of her routine, expressing gratitude for the support she received from others in the sport.
“It is really sad to hear those criticisms,” she lamented. “I am very sorry for the backlash that the community has experienced, but I can’t control how people react. The energy and vitriol that people had was pretty alarming. While I went out there and had fun, I did take it very seriously. I worked my butt off preparing for the Olympics and I gave my all, truly. I think my record speaks to that.”
Gunn also clarified the legitimacy of her qualifying for Paris, citing her win at the Oceania championships, which served as a direct qualifier with nine international judges.
“People didn’t understand breaking and were just angry about my performance,” she said. “The conspiracy theories were just awful and that was really upsetting. People are now attacking our reputation and our integrity — none of them were grounded in facts.”
Her performance even became fodder for late-night television, including a sketch on Jimmy Fallon’s show.
“I don’t know whether to, like, hug him or yell at him because what a platform he ended up giving me,” Gunn remarked. “I don’t think I’m in a place yet to watch it but I will watch it at some point.”
Since the event, Gunn has been trying to cope with the aftershock, aided by therapy.
“I definitely have my ups and downs, good and bad days,” she admitted. “It has been so amazing to see the positive response to my performance. I never thought I’d be able to connect with so many people in a positive way… but it definitely has been tough at times. Fortunately, I got some mental health support pretty quickly.”