Olympic breaker Raygun speaks out after viral performance sparked slew of online hate

Canberra, Australia - After her breaking performance at the Paris Olympic Games went viral for all the wrong reasons, Australian athlete Rachael Gunn faced a slew of online abuse. Now, the 36-year-old has broken her silence.

After her breaking performance at the Paris Olympic Games went viral for all the wrong reasons, Australian athlete Rachael Gunn faced a slew of online abuse.
After her breaking performance at the Paris Olympic Games went viral for all the wrong reasons, Australian athlete Rachael Gunn faced a slew of online abuse.  © Collage: IMAGO / AAP & Screenshot/Instagram/@raygun_aus

In a new Instagram video shared earlier this week, the break has opened up about the hate she received following the Games, calling the nasty reactions to her performance "pretty devastating."

Gunn emphasized that she took her breaking performance seriously despite online claims to the contrary.

"I worked my butt off preparing for the Olympics, and I gave my all – truly," she said.

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The Australian continued on to say all of her moves were "originals," adding, "Creativity is really important to me. I go out there, and I show my artistry."

Gunn, who is a college lecturer and holds a doctorate in cultural studies, stood out in her Olympic performance as a breaker with unusual moves – rolling around on the floor, flailing her legs wildly, and even jumping like a kangaroo.

She received a straight zero from the judges for her performance and was eliminated from the contest as the worst of the 16 participants, and afterwards, clips of her act went viral as users slammed her moves.

The Australian Olympic Team (AOC) later condemned the attacks, describing them as "vexatious, misleading and bullying."

Cover photo: Collage: IMAGO / AAP & Screenshot/Instagram/@raygun_aus

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