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Last Updated On: May 03, 2025 10:12 AM , Published On: Nov 08, 2024 08:03 AM
Today’s story reveals the retirement of an Australian break-dancer from competitive breaking. Well, it does not seem as big as many people retire daily. What makes this piece of news worth listening to is the manner through which she quits.
You must be curious about the hidden reasons Raygun sought retirement. So, hop onto your sofa and read the news to the end, which makes her followers depressed to the core.
Raygun’s Retirement Insights
Rachael Gunn, popularly known as Raygun, is an Australian breakdancer famous for her playful, unique, and unconventional style. She recently participated in the Paris Olympics 2024 women’s breaking competition and anticipates gaining followers and appreciation.
However, the opposite happened when she received extreme negativity on her breaking step—the moment made her quit the competitive scene. In an interview on Australia’s 2DayFM's "The Jimmy & Nath Show," Gunn explained her choice: "I still break, but I don't compete."
Olympic Experience and Backlash
The year 2024 hosted the Olympics and debuted breaking performances. Likewise, Raygun became a part of the scenario along with her competitors, such as the U.S.’s Logan Edra, Lithuania’s Dominika Banevič, and France’s Sya Dembélé.
Raygun competed in three round-robin battles but failed. She performed a step, a kangaroo hop, which went viral and drew negative responses from netizens. In addition, the internet started making memes and intensely criticising her. The backlash was overloaded, forcing her to announce her retirement from competitive breaking.
Raygun’s Passion to Dance
Gunn declared that she only ended up doing breaking but not dancing. The Australian breakdancer decided to continue and hone her dancing skills. Furthermore, Raygun mentioned that she would dance with her partner while living casually at home and did not take any pressure that would hinder her dancing passion.
Raygun’s Defense of Her Olympic Eligibility
She received much backlash after Raygun’s performance at the Paris Olympics 2024 in August—the moment she made her position in the breaking competition controversial and awkward. Several theories regarding her qualifications appeared on the internet, highlighting that she had manipulated how the Australian Olympics selects candidates.
Additionally, a Change.org petition claimed unfair practices. The Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) called it "disgraceful" and defended Gunn's achievements, requesting that the false news be removed immediately. Moreover, Raygun defended her qualification by revealing that she had earned her spot fairly by winning a qualifying event, the QMS Oceania Championships in Sydney.
Impact of Criticism on Gunn’s Life
Gunn reflected on the online theories and said the criticism affected her deeply. She revealed that the immense criticism took her control over her own story. She explained that her experience at the Olympics gave him challenges that continue to resonate in her personal life.
Future of Breaking in the Olympics and Gunn’s Next Strategies
Gathering the logical happenings at the 2024 Olympics in Paris, pre-assumptions are that there will be no breaking as a sports game in the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles or the 2032 Olympics in Brisbane. On the other hand, the future of Raygun is still bright, as she recently served as a lecturer at Macquarie University in Sydney, focusing on her projects.