Australian Olympic viral break dancer Raygun is seeing her old Instagram posts flooded with taunts and abuse following her controversial performance in Paris.
Rachael Gunn, 36, was mercilessly mocked for her “embarrassing” performance that earned her three consecutive zeros in her Olympic debut in the sport.
Gunn, a breaking instructor, has also gained a large following and received much praise for trying her hand at breaking against opponents more than half her age.
Her mental health is being monitored amid an online outcry after fans criticised the creative arts researcher at Sydney’s Macquarie University, who specialises in “the cultural politics of breakdancing”.
Now, a video of her at the Oceania Breaking Championships in November (which she won to secure a spot at the Olympics) has sparked some nasty comments.
Fans have started making fun of viral breakdancer Raygun for her old performances on Instagram.
The Australian was mocked after failing to score a single point during three breakdance battles
While he received support, some felt he was there in place of more talented breakers.
Activist Neha Madhok (pictured) said Gunn’s selection to represent Australia was a “reflection of the whiteness of Australian sport”.
“Jesus, this is embarrassing,” said one user.
“This seems like a mockery of our culture, of what we have created and perfected. I don’t feel that way, lol,” commented another.
“She’s a troll! She’s a satire of breakdancing,” said one.
“Bro how did he get to the Olympics?” added another, filling the post with laughing emojis.
“She’s sloppy and has no rhythm,” was one user’s brutal assessment.
Many Australians, including Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, supported Raygun for his “go-getter” attitude in Paris.
However, others were left furious by his low-scoring and sometimes bizarre performance, which included kangaroo hops, and which resulted in a dispute in the race.
Neha Madhok, co-founder and former executive director of political advocacy group Democracy in Colour, said Raygun’s selection was a reflection of the “whiteness” of Australian sporting culture.
Fans have flooded her Instagram video with mocking and abusive comments and her mental health is being monitored.
“There are amazing dancers in places like Western Sydney (just one example) where Black and Brown people are honing their skills and craft in settings not recognised by established institutions,” Madhok wrote on social media.
‘This is a reflection on the whiteness of Australian sport and Australian attitudes.
‘We could have sent amazing people, the talent is absolutely there, but you have to go where the people are.
“It is a disgrace that Australia is once again sending a mediocre white person to represent us on the world stage, because we are interested in finding the real talent among First Nations people and people of colour.”
Raygun, a lecturer at Macquarie University, has published a PhD thesis entitled ‘Deterritorialising gender in the Sydney breakdancing scene: A B-girl’s experience of B-boying’.
And he gave a defiant response to his critics after losing to the United States, France and Lithuania.
Posting a message from the ‘Breaking for Gold’ account, she quoted herself as saying: ‘Don’t be afraid to be different. Go out and present yourself, you never know where that will take you.’
Despite questions about his routine, there is no doubt about Raygun’s credentials, whether on the streets of Sydney or behind a desk at Macquarie University.
Ms Gunn’s performance polarised viewers around the world, with many criticising her avant-garde dance moves, which included kangaroo-like jumps (pictured).
Raygun went 0-3 on Friday, losing to Logistix (USA), Syssy (France), and Nicka (Lithuania).
She was eliminated during the group stage, but said she was happy to have “done her thing.”
Raygun shared this image on her Instagram Stories shortly after withdrawing from the Olympics.
Raygun was the Australian Breaking Association’s highest ranked b-girl (‘break-girl’) in 2020 and 2021.
She represented her country at the Breaking World Championships in 2021, 2022 and 2023, and won last year’s Oceania Breaking Championships, a victory that secured her position as Australia’s Olympic b-girl.