Australian breakdancer Rachael Gunn, known as Raygun, has described her performance at the inaugural Olympic breakdancing event in Paris as "cringe." In the new Netflix documentary "Untold Raygun: Breaking Badly," the 38-year-old athlete reflects on the intense global backlash following her debut at the 2024 Summer Olympics, which she felt brought "shame and embarrassment" to her country.
Raygun, an academic who earned a PhD in breakdancing from Macquarie University, took up the sport as an adult with her husband and coach, Samuel Free, also a breakdancer. After breakdancing was approved as an Olympic sport in 2020, she won the Australian qualifier. However, she recalled naively expecting a support team, such as a dietitian and strength coach, which she did not receive. Instead, she and Free had nine months to prepare for the Olympics, a challenge given her previous lack of regular workouts.
"It had become obvious to us that we weren’t even gonna win one [dance] battle at the Olympics," Free said in the documentary. Their goal shifted to a more realistic aim of securing just one point from the nine judges.
In the months leading up to the Paris Games, Raygun experienced "physical exhaustion, cognitive exhaustion, and emotional exhaustion" and was prescribed antidepressants. Despite the difficulties, she did not withdraw, stating she did not want to have "regrets."
Raygun's routine incorporated moves like the sprinkler and the kangaroo, which she explained were intended to celebrate "Australian culture" and emphasize the art of breakdancing rather than just athleticism. "It’s not always about the most athletic movement, it’s about the art," she said. Free noted that while the moves were "a bit cheesy," they aimed for a "fun" and memorable moment.
Following her performance, online reactions were swift and overwhelmingly negative, with tweets calling it "the worst thing Australia has ever done." An Olympic handler advised Raygun to stay offline after warning her that something "was brewing" on social media. She described the backlash as a "growing monster" and expressed sadness at the criticism she received, particularly from other women.
Her husband described the experience as "a massive trauma," recalling Raygun feeling like she was "falling into a dark pit" and that "my life as I know it is over." Misinformation also spread online, with conspiracy theories suggesting Free had rigged his wife's entry into the Games. Free clarified that he was not a judge and had never been on a selection committee.
Leah Clark, a former Australian breakdancer, admitted that while she was initially offended and embarrassed by Raygun's Olympic performance, Raygun was the "best" of the Australian competitors "on that day" during the Olympic qualifier.
Billionaire Richard Branson offered Raygun a "lifeline" by inviting her on a Virgin Voyages cruise in September 2024, which she described as a "joyful" experience that helped her realize she could move past the criticism. In November 2024, Raygun announced her retirement from dancing. However, the documentary chronicles her re-emergence at dance events in 2025, with the goal of showing that the backlash did not defeat her.
"I know for sure I’m never gonna stop dancing," she declared, adding, "I know I’m a dorky white woman… and I’m OK with that." Raygun has also left her job in academia and hopes the documentary will "open doors." She stated that while the experience made her resilient, she continues to monitor her mental health and adjust her activities as needed.