Current:Home > InvestViral Australian Olympic breakdancer Raygun responds to 'devastating' criticism -WealthGrow Network
Viral Australian Olympic breakdancer Raygun responds to 'devastating' criticism
View
Date:2025-04-13 13:43:46
Australian breakdancer Rachael Gunn, known by her competition name Raygun, became a viral sensation during the Paris Olympics as her unusual performance raised eyebrows. While some praised her unique style, her performance attracted online criticism and ridicule, which Gunn described as "devastating."
"I really appreciate the positivity, and I'm glad I was able to bring some joy into your lives. That's what I hoped," Gunn said in a video posted to Instagram on Thursday. "I didn't realize that that would also open the door to so much hate, which has, frankly, been pretty devastating."
"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. Truly,” Gunn added.
Gunn is a 36-year-old college professor who wrote her PhD thesis on the intersection of gender and Sydney’s breaking culture. She lost all three of her group-stage breaking battles in Paris, failing to score a single point.
Gunn pleaded for privacy as she faces increased scrutiny for her participation at the Olympics and critics question how she could have been selected for the Australian team.
2024 Paris Olympics: Follow USA TODAY’s coverage of the biggest names and stories of the Games.
“I would really like to ask the press to please stop harassing my family, my friends, the Australian breaking community and the broader street dance community. Everyone has been through a lot as a result of this, so I ask you to please respect their privacy," Gunn said in the video.
Gunn’s distinctive moves and low scores led to online speculation that she had manipulated the Olympic selection process. A petition published to change.org to “hold Raygun accountable” demanded an investigation into how she was selected for the Australian Olympic team. The petition, which had garnered over 55,000 signatures, has since been removed.
The Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) released a statement Thursday in defense of Gunn, condemning the petition as “vexatious, misleading and bullying.”
The statement refuted every detail of the allegations against Gunn, saying she was selected through “a transparent and independent qualification event and nomination process.”
“It is disgraceful that these falsehoods concocted by an anonymous person can be published in this way. It amounts to bullying and harassment and is defamatory,” AOC CEO Matt Carroll wrote in the statement.
“It’s important that the community understands the facts and that people do not form opinions based on malicious untruths and misinformation,” Carroll added.
Gunn addressed the allegations in her Instagram video, urging viewers to refer to the AOC’s statement on the “misinformation floating around.”
Breaking made its debut at the 2024 Paris Olympics, but it will not return at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
veryGood! (17)
Related
- Mets have visions of grandeur, and a dynasty, with Juan Soto as major catalyst
- New England and upstate New York brace for a winter storm
- Balloon shoot-down has U.S. on alert. Weather forecasters know how to steer clear
- What a lettuce farm in Senegal reveals about climate-driven migration in Africa
- Which apps offer encrypted messaging? How to switch and what to know after feds’ warning
- Freddie Highmore Recalls Being Thrown Into Broom Closet to Avoid Run-In With TV Show Host
- 12 Makeup Products With SPF You Need to Add to Your Spring Beauty Routine
- Puerto Rico is in the dark again, but solar companies see glimmers of hope
- Backstage at New York's Jingle Ball with Jimmy Fallon, 'Queer Eye' and Meghan Trainor
- Survivor’s Ricard Foyé and Husband Andy Foyé Break Up After 7 Years Together
Ranking
- 'Kraven the Hunter' spoilers! Let's dig into that twisty ending, supervillain reveal
- Bill Hader Confirms Romance With Ali Wong After Months of Speculation
- Look Back on All of the Love Is Blind Hookups That Happened Off-Camera
- Fiona destroyed most of Puerto Rico's plantain crops — a staple for people's diet
- Paula Abdul settles lawsuit with former 'So You Think You Can Dance' co
- This is what's at risk from climate change in Alaska
- Developing nations suffering from climate change will demand financial help
- Proof Jessica Biel’s Stylish Throwback Photos Are Tearin’ Up Justin Timberlake’s Heart
Recommendation
What to watch: O Jolie night
Who is Just Stop Oil, the group that threw soup on Van Gogh's painting?
A decade after Sandy, hurricane flood maps reveal New York's climate future
A huge winter storm is expected to affect millions across 22 states
Retirement planning: 3 crucial moves everyone should make before 2025
Scarlett Johansson Makes Rare Comment About Ex-Husband Ryan Reynolds
Battered by Hurricane Fiona, this is what a blackout looks like across Puerto Rico
California plans to cut incentives for home solar, worrying environmentalists