What Do We Know About Raygun?
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TLDR: Australian breakdancer Rachael Gunn, known as “Raygun,” competed in the Olympic breaking event in Paris on August 9, 2024. Unfortunately, her performance fell short in the highly competitive field and she was eliminated early. Despite her exit, she garnered significant attention and praise on social media for her unique style and energetic routines. The event itself marked a historic debut for breakdance at the Olympics, with competitors showcasing their skills on a global stage.
Raygun competes at the Paris 2024 Olympics (Harry Langer/Getty)
PARIS, FRANCE: It’s the morning after Raygun, aka Dr Rachael Gunn, went viral for her breaking performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics, and the world of hip-hop and breaking is split somewhere between head-shaking, meme-sharing, and furious finger-pointing. You can almost hear the collective groan from the Australian breaking community as they check their phones.
Yesterday, as the green tracksuit-clad, 36-year-old university lecturer hopped, spun, and yes, even performed the sprinkler on the biggest stage of her life, a viral sensation was born. It was not quite the one Australia had hoped for, but memorable all the same.
When Raygun, whose Olympic dreams involved showcasing breaking to the world, stepped onto that Paris platform, she wasn’t just competing for a medal – she was trying to represent an entire community. Yet, what was meant to be a triumph quickly morphed into a whirlwind of online mockery, a barrage of abuse, and a nation of Aussie breakdancers cringing so hard you could almost hear their Antipodean joints cracking from here.
Her Olympic routine was, by all accounts, unorthodox. But Raygun, 20 years into her dance journey, has never been one to fit neatly into boxes. After starting out in jazz, tap, and ballroom dancing, she found her way into the male-dominated world of breaking thanks to her husband and coach, Samuel Free.
It wasn’t always an easy fit, with tears in the bathroom and moments of doubt, but she persevered, eventually becoming Australia’s top-ranked B-girl. Now, a PhD-holder with a deep love for the cultural politics of breaking, Raygun had earned her spot in Paris fair and square. Unfortunately for her, the reaction was less of an applause-filled victory lap and more of a meme-fueled internet storm.
Her moves – including the kangaroo hop – didn’t precisely align with what many had in mind for an Olympic-level breakdancing performance. But hey, at least they were original. Raygun wanted to stand out, to be different, to bring her unique style to a competition that often favours the big power moves. And stand out she did, just maybe not in the way she had hoped.
The Backlash Heard Around the World
B-Girl Raygun of Team Australia competes during the B-Girls Round Robin – Group B on day 14 of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Place de la Concorde, on August 09, 2024 (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
It didn’t take long for the internet to sharpen its claws. Memes circulated faster than Raygun’s best windmill, her routine instantly becoming the subject of viral jokes. Then came the online abuse, swift and merciless, with even an anonymous petition demanding she apologise for what was perceived as a national embarrassment. Fifty thousand signatures later, it was clear: people were not here for it.
On the Australian breakdance scene, the mood wasn’t any better. Legendary Aussie breaker Spice, whose retirement apparently didn’t spare him the drama, called it a “mockery of the Australian scene” and said it had sent them back to the “Dark Ages.” Ouch. It wasn’t just that she’d lost – it was the way she’d lost that seemed to sting the most.
The breaking community, already niche and fiercely protective of its culture, wasn’t sure how to process the fallout. One moment, Raygun was their Olympic hope; the next, she was a walking joke, the subject of global ridicule. But while some were quick to criticise, others pointed out that the hate was disproportionate, toxic even, and certainly undeserved.
But the rumour mill didn’t stop at performance critiques. Conspiracy theories began cropping up, with some claiming – without evidence – that Raygun had somehow manipulated her way into the competition.
Some accused her of creating the very governing body that organised the Oceania qualifiers, while others wrongly asserted that her husband, who is indeed a respected breaker and judge, was part of the panel that selected her for the Games. Australian fact-checkers had to jump into the fray to debunk these claims, as the gossip swirled out of control.
And then came the accusations that Gunn had somehow disrespected or appropriated hip-hop culture. Speaking to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Malik Dixon suggested her routine “looked like somebody who was toying with the culture and didn’t know how culturally significant it was.” The online discourse was growing uglier by the minute, and at the centre of it was a woman who had simply wanted to bring a little joy to the biggest stage of her life.
Breaking Barriers – Or Hopping Over Them
Many people seem to forget in all this viral madness that Raygun qualified fair and square for the Paris Games. The nine-person panel judging the Oceania qualifiers was not only impartial but entirely non-Australian, as AUSBreaking – the national organisation for breaking – confirmed. She competed, she won, and she was heading to Paris, even if everyone knew it was going to be a rough ride for her on the Olympic stage.
Even one of the judges, Te Hiiritanga Wepiha, admitted the panel was unanimous in knowing that Raygun “was going to get smashed” at the Games. Yet, he also commended her courage for taking on the challenge, knowing full well what lay ahead. It was a David-and-Goliath situation, with Raygun as the scrappy underdog, armed only with a green tracksuit and a mission to be artistic and creative. She was never going to win gold, but she hoped to win hearts.
In the wake of the backlash, the Australian Olympic Committee and AUSBreaking stood firmly behind her. AOC’s Matt Carroll lambasted the petition against her as baseless and cruel, stressing that the public outrage was wildly out of proportion.
Meanwhile, Raygun herself took to social media to defend her performance, explaining that she had “worked [her] butt off” for the Olympics and “gave [her] all.” She never intended to offend or belittle the art form; she simply wanted to “bring some joy” to the world.
Silver Linings in Green Tracksuits?
While the memes will inevitably linger for a while, the Australian breaking community is hopeful that Raygun’s viral moment might end up shining a light on the sport. As Te Hiiritanga Wepiha put it, “She might actually bring enough attention to get resources,” hinting that this publicity surge could ultimately benefit Australia’s tiny scene. As absurd as it might sound, Raygun could end up being the most famous Olympian of 2024, not for her athletic prowess, but for the internet frenzy she inadvertently ignited.
The truth is, Raygun didn’t just hop her way into the Olympics – she fought her way there, awkward jumps and all. And while her performance might not have impressed the purists, it’s sparked a conversation about the future of breaking, the pressure of the Olympics, and the role of art and creativity in sport.
Whether you loved her or laughed at her, Raygun made sure you noticed her. Maybe that’s what breaking – and sport – is really all about. Or maybe she was just taking the piss.
