Australian breakdancer Rachael Gunn speaks out after Paris Olympic efficiency:

Australian breakdancer Rachael Gunn, also called B-Girl Raygun, is talking out after she acquired criticism and mock for her viral efficiency on the 2024 Paris Olympics. In an Instagram put up Thursday, she broke her silence.

“I actually admire the positivity, and I’m glad I used to be in a position to some pleasure in your lives,” she stated. “That’s what I hoped. I did not understand that may open the door to a lot hate, which is frankly, been fairly devastating.”

“I went on the market and I had enjoyable,” the 36-year-old breaker stated. “I did take it very critically. I labored my butt off making ready for the Olympics, and I gave my all.” 

Gunn, a professor from Sydney who holds a PhD in cultural research, misplaced all of her three round-robin battles with a rating of 54-0, drawing backlash for the dearth of factors and mockery over a few of her strikes in her routine, together with a “kangaroo dance.” It was even made enjoyable of on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.” She responded to a few of her critics.

“Bit of a enjoyable reality for you,” she stated. “There are literally no factors in breaking. If you need to see how the judges thought I in comparison with my opponents, you may truly see the comparability percentages throughout the 5 standards on Olympics com. All the outcomes are there.” 

She additionally drew questions over how she was chosen to symbolize Australia.

The Australian Olympics Committee got here out in protection of Gunn on Thursday, condemning a nameless petition on Change.org that demanded an apology from her and Australia’s chef de mission, Anna Meares, for his or her “unethical conduct” in selecting Gunn. The AOC stated Gunn was chosen to the Australian Olympic Team by means of a “clear and impartial qualification occasion and nomination course of.”

“It is disgraceful that these falsehoods concocted by an nameless individual might be revealed on this approach. It quantities to bullying and harassment and is defamatory,” AOC CEO Matt Carroll stated in a press release. 

As of Thursday afternoon, the petition was not dwell on the positioning. 

The committee identified that Gunn held no place inside AUSBreaking or DanceSport Australia — two entities that oversee aggressive breaking within the nation — in any capability. 

Accusations had been additionally aimed toward Gunn’s husband and fellow breaker, Samuel Free. The AOC stated Free would not and was not a judge on the qualifying occasion. 

Breaking made its Olympic debut in Paris and received many followers. However, the game didn’t make it onto the roster of sports activities for the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.