Australian Olympic break-dancer Rachael Gunn has addressed her critics in the wake of her controversial performance in Paris.
Gunn, who performs as Raygun, represented Australia in the Olympic break-dancing debut, but her playful moves including dancing like a kangaroo led to criticism and widespread online memes.
In a video posted to social media, Gunn started by thanking her supporters, but acknowledged the unexpected backlash, stating she did not realise her performance would “open the door to so much hate.”
The 36-year-old dancer described the public reaction as “pretty devastating.”
“Well, I went out there and I had fun, I did take it very seriously,” she said.
“I worked my butt off preparing for the Olympics and I gave my all, truly.
“I am honoured to be a part of the Australian Olympic Team and to be part of breaking’s Olympic debut.”
Gunn said what other athletes had achieved was “phenomenal.”
She also addressed online rumours surrounding her performance and place in the Olympics by directing people to statements from the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC), Ausbreaking and the World Dance Sport Federation.
Gunn then shared a “fun fact,” noting that there were no points in breaking and that results percentages could be viewed online.
The university lecturer said she planned to be in Europe for a few weeks for “pre-planned downtime,” and asked the media not to harass her family, friends, the Australian breaking or street dance communities.
“Everyone has been through a lot as a result of this, so I ask you to please respect their privacy,” she said, adding that she would answer more questions on her return to Australia.
On Aug. 15, the AOC released a statement addressing rumours that had circulated in an online petition against Gunn’s performance.
The change.org petition, started by an anonymous user, made numerous claims about Gunn and demanded an apology and scrutiny of Gunn’s involvement in the processes leading up to her appearance at the Olympics.
By the afternoon of Aug. 15, the petition had almost 50,000 signatures, but by Aug. 16, it had been removed after the AOC demanded its takedown.
In its statement, the AOC clarified that Gunn had not been involved in her own selection process, and that the judges in the qualifier leading up to her Olympic performance were impartial and had been flown in from overseas to ensure fairness.
The committee’s comments have also been backed by Ausbreaking and the World Dance Sport Federation.
