Australian Olympic breakdancer Rachael Gunn asks press to stop harassing her family and friends

"I worked my butt off preparing for the Olympics. I gave my all," said Rachael Gunn, Australian breakdancer.

Australian breakdancer Rachael Gunn, widely known as Raygun, is addressing the harassment she's endured since gaining viral attention during the 2024 Paris Olympics. 

Her unique dance style while competing against Logan Edra from the U.S., Dominika Banevič from Lithuania, and Sya Dembélé from France attracted global attention and sparked accusations that Raygun had manipulated Australia’s Olympic selection process.

“I just want to start out by thanking all the people who have supported me,” Raygun said in a video message posted to her Instagram page. “I really appreciate the positivity and I’m glad I was able to bring some joy into your life. That’s what I hoped. I didn’t realize that would also open the door to so much hate, which frankly has been pretty devastating.”

“When I went out there I had fun. I did take it very seriously,” she continued. “I worked my butt off preparing for the Olympics. I gave my all, truly. I am honored to have been a part of the Australian Olympic team and been a part of breaking’s Olympic debut.”

Raygun pointed those accusing her of manipulating the Olympic selection process to the Australian Olympic Committee, which has already publicly dismissed those claims. She also mentioned that she is currently enjoying "pre-planned downtime" in Europe after the Olympics.

“I really would like to ask the press to stop harassing my family, my friends, the Australian breaking community and the broader street dance community,” she added. “Everyone has been through a lot as a result of this. I ask you to respect their privacy.”

Raygun, who was also parodied by Rachel Dratch on "The Tonight Show" this week, told reporters (as reported by ESPN) following the viral success of her Olympic routine that "all of my moves are original."