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Raygun, the Australian Olympic breakdancer, is opening up about the difficult aftermath of her 2024 Olympic performance.
In the Netflix documentary Untold: Raygun Breaking Badly, Rachael Gunn reflects on her experience competing in the inaugural Olympic breakdancing event in Paris. Following her performance, viral videos and widespread criticism left her feeling “shame and embarrassment” over how she represented her country.
Gunn described the backlash as “cringe” and said the criticism left her feeling “crumbled.”
The documentary also takes viewers back to how Gunn got into breakdancing, which began through her husband and coach, Samuel Free. As she and Free trained and practiced every day, Gunn eventually realized she wasn’t expecting to win a battle at the Olympics.
“It had become obvious to us that we weren’t even gonna win one [dance] battle at the Olympics.”
The backlash from Australian Olympic fans and viewers online was harsh, with Gunn saying some of the criticism from women particularly affected her.
“It really saddened me to see how many women decided to hate on me. It was a hot topic talking point to rip into me.”
Gunn also opened up about the toll the criticism took on her mental state, describing how she found herself in a dark place.
“I was falling into a dark pit” and “realized my life as I know it is over.”
Rumors also circulated that Free was invovled with the Olympic committee and had played a role in Gunn qualifying for the games. Free denied those claims.
“This misinformation is getting a lot of traction. I wasn’t a judge. I was never on any selection committee.”
In November 2024, Gunn announced her retirement from competitive breakdancing while making it clear that her love for the sport would never disappear.
“I know for sure I’m never gonna stop dancing. I know I’m a dorky white woman… and I’m OK with that.”