Australian breakdancer Raygun addresses Olympic controversy in first-ever interview
-Reuters
Australian Olympian Rachael “Raygun” Gunn revealed in an interview on Wednesday that she has yet to fully watch her breakdancing performance from the Paris Olympics, which went viral and sparked widespread mockery.
Gunn, 36, gained global attention for her controversial routine, which included kangaroo hopping and sprinkler dance moves. Despite the backlash, Gunn admitted she has only seen small parts of her performance but plans to watch it in full eventually.
In her first sit-down interview with Network 10’s The Project, Gunn also shared that she hasn’t been able to watch a sketch about her performance aired on The Tonight Show by Jimmy Fallon and comedian Rachel Dratch. She expressed mixed feelings about the sketch, unsure whether to find it humorous or offensive.
Gunn defended her breakdancing record, noting her top-ranking status as Australia’s best female breakdancer in 2020, 2022, and 2023. However, she apologized to Australia’s breakdancing community for the negative attention her routine brought.
Reflecting on the viral reaction, Gunn shared that she was unaware of the extent of the backlash until an Australian Olympic Committee liaison advised her to avoid social media after her performance. Despite the criticism, she acknowledged that she cannot control how people react.
Rachael ‘Raygun’ Gunn became the talk of the world following her breakdancing performance at the Olympic Games in Paris last month.
Now, for the first time, ‘Raygun’ speaks out about how she qualified for the games and reveals whether she will ever breakdance again. pic.twitter.com/78oUEvHBgl