An Australian breakdancer who went viral for her performance at the Olympics in Paris has described the “hate” that has followed as “devastating”.
Rachael Gunn, also known as Raygun, drew mockery and criticism on social media after her performance in the round robin stage of the B-girls breaking event, losing all three of her bouts.
However, on Thursday she shared an emotional video statement in which she said she took the competition “seriously” and “gave my all”.
She said: “I just want to start by thanking all the people who have supported me. 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 realise that that would also open the door to so much hate, which has, frankly, been pretty devastating.
“Well, I went out there and I had fun. I did take it very seriously. I worked my butt off preparing for the Olympics, and I gave my all.
“I’m honoured to have been a part of the Australian Olympic team and to be part of breaking’s Olympic debut.
“What the other athletes have achieved has just been phenomenal.”
Breaking made its Olympic debut in Paris, with Japan’s Ami Yuasa winning gold in the B-girls event.
However, the sport will not return at the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.
Gunn finished her video statement by saying she would be spending some time in Europe for “a few weeks” and asked the press to respect the privacy of her family, friends and community.
“I’m going to be in Europe for a few weeks for some pre-planned downtime, but I’d really like to ask the press to please stop harassing my family, my friends, the Australian breaking community and the broader street dance community,” she said.
“Everyone has been through a lot as a result of this, so I ask you to please respect their privacy.
“I’ll be happy to answer more questions on my return to Australia.”
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