Australian breakdancing sensation Rachel ‘Raygun’ Gunn has revealed she will not compete again in the Olympics after receiving a barrage of ‘shocking’ abuse following her performances in Paris.
The university lecturer has kept a low profile since the summer games but has spoken out about how heartbroken she was by the “devastating” online hate she received in the aftermath of the Olympics.
Raygun, 37, went viral after her unique performances at Place de la Concorde earlier this summer, which saw the B-girl hopping like a kangaroo and wriggling across the floor like a snake.
She subsequently scored no points in all three of her matches in Paris.
While some were in awe of the Olympic breakdancer, including music sensation Adele – who recently paused one of her shows to praise the New South Wales-born dancer – Raygun was criticized and criticized by many online.
The Australian confirmed this on Wednesday Sydney’s 2DayFM Jimmy & Nath for Breakfast that she no longer wants to participate in the Olympic Games.
“It was really disturbing,” Raygun told Jimmy and Nath.
“I just had no control over how people saw me or who I was.”
Raygun would remain the No. 1 female breakdancer in the world after the Games, but admits she is not interested in competing in Los Angeles in 2028.
“Say you’d go to the Olympics again in four years?” Nath said to the breaking star.
“No,” she replied, laughing. ‘Nooooo.’
When Raygun was asked if she would continue breaking, he replied, “I still break, but I don’t compete. I’m not going to compete anymore. No. No.’
Recently, Raygun has hit back at online trolls after appearing on the cover of Stellar Magazine. During an interview with the outlet, she claimed that even though her “whole world has changed,” she wasn’t going to let the criticism get to her.
But speaking to Jimmy and Nath, the university lecturer added that before going to Paris, she has now re-evaluated her future in the sport after the Paris Olympics.
Australian Olympic breakdancing sensation Rachel ‘Raygun’ Gunn has spoken out about her Olympic future
Raygun hit back at her critics, claiming the abuse she received during the Games was “truly disturbing.”
“Yes, I would continue to compete [at future Olympic Games] Certainly, but that seems very difficult to me now to put up a fight,” she told the radio show.
“To keep moving forward?” Nathan asked.
“Yeah, I mean, I still dance, and I still break. But you know what, that’s just like being in my living room with my partner!’ she laughed.
Raygun opens up to the scrutiny, admitting that she knows she will be subject to some level of scrutiny, adding that participating in the Games will never be the same as a result.
Jimmy asked, “Is it a bit like, potentially, you’ve already lost it before you go out because people already have an opinion about you?”
“I think the level of control will be there,” Raygun replied.
“You know, people will film it, it will go online and it just won’t mean the same.
“It won’t be the same experience because of everything that’s at stake.”
Looking ahead, Raygun also recently denied appearing on reality television despite mounting speculation that she could enter the jungle.
“Dancing is so much fun and it makes you feel good,” she added during the podcast.
‘I don’t think people should feel bad about the way they dance.
“If you’re going to go out and have fun on the dance floor, just own it.”
She also opened up conspiracy theories surrounding her performances at the Olympics, with some bizarrely claiming that Raygun was planted at the Games.
“Someone thought you were put there as if you were just put there to make noise,” Jimmy said.
The Olympic breakdance star was criticized for her routine in which she hopped around like a kangaroo
But Raygun says she will no longer put herself forward to compete in future Olympics
But on how she has weathered the criticism, Raygun said: “Look, it’s surreal.
‘It’s still hard to process. The conspiracy theories were completely wild.
She added: “But I just try to stick to the positive things and that gets me through it. The people who like it [said]: “You have inspired me to go out and do something I was too shy to do. You have brought joy, you have brought laughter, you know we are so proud of you.
“And just like really damn beautiful things that people have written and that’s just what I’m sticking to.”