Raygun reveals how she is doing two years after Olympics backlash
-Reuters
Rachael Gunn, better known as Raygun, says her mental health is “good” two years after her controversial appearance at the 2024 Paris Olympics made her the subject of intense online criticism.
Speaking to PEOPLE ahead of the release of Netflix’s Untold: Breaking Badly, Gunn, 38, reflected on the backlash surrounding her Olympic breaking performance and the impact it had on her and her husband, Samuel Free.
Gunn said some parts of the documentary were difficult to watch, particularly footage showing the reaction to her performance and how quickly she became a viral meme.
“The hardest parts to watch were all of the fast edits of the world’s reactions, and how big it got,” she said.
Gunn also addressed criticism from fellow Australian B-girls Flix and Tinylocks, who discuss her performance in the documentary. While Flix calls the performance embarrassing, she also acknowledges that Gunn was the best B-girl on the day and earned her place on the Australian Olympic team.
The dancer said she understood why other breakers responded negatively during a period of intense scrutiny for the Australian breaking community.
Gunn also revealed that she was prescribed antidepressants several months before the Paris Olympics. She said the medication helped manage her anxiety during the demanding period surrounding the Games.
Two years after the Olympics, Gunn said she continues to monitor her mental health and gives herself time to step back when needed.
Although she has not competed in another one-on-one event since Paris, Gunn has participated in local breaking events and supported younger B-girls.
Looking ahead, she said she hopes the Netflix documentary will lead to new creative opportunities and allow her to continue encouraging people to embrace individuality, creativity and dance.