Australian breaker Raygun apologizes: 'People didn’t understand'
FILE-Australian breaker Raygun of Team Australia reacts during the B-Girls Round Robin - Group B on day fourteen of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Place de la Concorde on August 09, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Australian breaker Rachael Gunn, who was criticized by some over her performance during the Paris Olympics, is speaking out about the experience.
Gunn shared details in a television interview for The Project on Australia's Channel 10, explaining that she was chased by cameras through the Paris streets and how she endured the public reaction to her performance.
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"People didn’t understand breaking and were just angry about my performance," Gunn said. "The conspiracy theories were just awful and that was really upsetting. People are now attacking our reputation and our integrity — none of them were grounded in facts," the AP noted citing the interview.
The 37-year-old also apologized for the commotion, but again defended her performance and said she was thankful for support from others in the sport.
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Gunn performed an unconventional routine at the 2024 Olympics that included mimicking a kangaroo, which was mocked online and on television.
"Raygun" as she is also known, was ridiculed on social media, with some posts from users questioning the Olympic qualifying process, according to the AP.
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She defended how she qualified for Paris, and stated on the TV program that she won the Oceania championships and it in part helped her qualify for the Olympics.
The Australian breakdancer went on to share in the interview that she is in therapy to help her cope in the aftermath of the Olympics.