Raygun Declares Herself Australia’s Best Female Breakdancer in First Interview Since Controversial Paris Olympics Performance
Australian Olympian Rachael “Raygun” Gunn, 36, revealed on September 4 that she has yet to watch her breakdancing performance in full after it triggered widespread mockery and backlash.
In her first interview since her controversial routine—featuring kangaroo hopping and sprinkler moves—at last month’s Paris Olympics, Gunn admitted she has only seen snippets of the performance and hasn’t viewed a comedy sketch about it on Jimmy Fallon’s “The Tonight Show.”
This woman did a brilliant rendition of RayGun’s performance and reminds us that:
“If you —a person with no training—can do it, it’s not Olympic level.” pic.twitter.com/aBjRQeZNUx
— Dr. Taylor Burrowes | The Vetting Specialist™️ (@taylorburrowes) August 29, 2024
“I have seen little bits and pieces, but I will watch it eventually,” Gunn told Network 10’s *The Project*. She expressed mixed feelings about the Fallon sketch performed by comedian Rachel Dratch, saying, “I don’t know whether to hug him or yell at him,” referring to Fallon.
Rachael ‘Raygun’ Gunn tells us how she qualified for breakdancing at the Olympics. pic.twitter.com/meDUchCeYJ
— The Project (@theprojecttv) September 4, 2024
Despite the criticism, Gunn defended her breakdancing credentials and apologized to Australia’s breakdancing community for the uproar caused by her performance. “I think my record speaks to that,” she said, noting her rankings as the top Australian B-girl in 2020, 2022, and 2023.
Rachael ‘Raygun’ Gunn tells us what she thought of the Jimmy Fallon sketch. pic.twitter.com/vzclWzXqvc
— The Project (@theprojecttv) September 4, 2024
Gunn’s routine, performed in an Australian team polo and high-waisted sweatpants, went viral, a fact she didn’t grasp until her Australian Olympics Committee liaison informed her. “As soon as I finished my rounds, my media liaison said, ‘There’s a bit of a storm brewing on social media. You might want to go off socials.’ I didn’t understand the scale of it,” she recounted.
Rachael ‘Raygun’ Gunn tells us if she thinks she is the best female breaker in Australia. pic.twitter.com/M6YzOtLNlB
— The Project (@theprojecttv) September 4, 2024
Gunn also addressed allegations that she manipulated the Olympic selection process by establishing her own governing body and having her husband judge the trials. These claims were later refuted by the Australian Olympics Committee and the World DanceSport Federation.