A new documentary from Netflix is set to confront the widespread, yet false, allegations that Australian breakdancer Rachael "Raygun" Gunn secured her spot in the Paris 2024 Olympics through illicit means, with assistance from her husband.
The claims gained global traction after Gunn received no judges' votes in her three battles at the Paris Games. The documentary, part of Netflix's "Untold" series and titled "Raygun: Breaking Badly," delves into Gunn's journey to Paris, her notable routine, and the subsequent wave of misinformation that targeted her.
The documentary trailer features a viral video that falsely accused Gunn of benefiting from a biased selection process. A YouTuber in the clip can be heard stating, "What you might not know is this breakdancing is actually one of the lesser of Rachael's crimes. Because Rachael Gunn basically cheated her way into the Olympics by stepping on the backs of more talented but underprivileged minorities and by receiving potent and blatantly biased benefits from her husband, the coach of the Australian breakdancing team."
These allegations have been refuted. Gunn's husband and coach, Samuel Free, did not participate in judging the 2023 Oceania Breaking Championships, the event through which she qualified. The international judging panel for that competition included no Australians, and the event adhered to Olympic qualification rules. Gunn won the Oceania title by defeating Molly "Holy Molly" Chapman in the final. She had previously represented Australia at the World Breaking Championships in 2021, 2022, and 2023.
An anonymous online petition also falsely accused Gunn of manipulating the selection process and claimed she had established the organization responsible for the qualifier. The Australian Olympic Committee chief executive Matt Carroll later called for the petition's removal, denouncing it as "bullying and harassment" and "defamatory."
Netflix stated that the documentary will explore how Gunn's Olympic performance was followed by "an avalanche of memes, misinformation, and conspiracy theories questioning how she ever got there."
Gunn herself disclosed that before heading to Paris, she confided in her therapist about her deepest fear: being ridiculed by the entire world. In the trailer, Gunn recounts the exchange, explaining her fear and her therapist's response.
That fear materialized after her routine, which incorporated kangaroo-inspired movements, became a widely shared moment of the Games. Gunn was eliminated in the round-robin stage after losing all three battles 18-0 against opponents Logistx (USA), Syssy (France), and Nicka (Lithuania). She technically received no judges' votes, not zero competition points.
What began as memes and jokes soon escalated. "There was this frenzy. It was a growing monster," Gunn described. "Some of the memes were funny, then the tone started to change. And it just kept getting more crazy. I can't just be a meme. Am I Rachael, or am I Raygun?"
The documentary also features previously unseen footage from Gunn's childhood and interviews with her parents. Gunn, 38, retired from competitive breaking in November 2024 following widespread criticism after her Olympic performance.
Raised in Sydney, Gunn trained in various dance styles before discovering breakdancing in her mid-twenties. She met Samuel Free in 2008, who encouraged her to pursue breaking and later became her coach. They married in 2018. Gunn holds a bachelor's degree in contemporary music and a PhD in cultural studies, with her doctoral thesis focusing on gender in Sydney's breaking community.
She became a full-time lecturer at Macquarie University in 2020 and has since moved into public speaking and personalized video messages. Her speaking topics include resilience, creativity, mental health, and navigating virality. "Untold: Raygun: Breaking Badly" is scheduled to premiere on Netflix on September 1.
