Raygun Says Her Viral Olympic Routine Was “Not as Bad” as She Remembered

Rachael “Raygun” Gunn, whose unconventional breakdancing routine at the Paris 2024 Olympics made her an international viral figure, has finally watched the performance in full. Her verdict: it was “not as bad as I thought.” Gunn discussed the routine and its aftermath in an interview with CNN, reported by The Guardian. She was Australia’s first Olympic breakdancer, but received no points from the judges during the competition. The sudden attention was overwhelming, Gunn said. She described learning that her performance had spread worldwide as surreal and said it initially left her with a sense of dread. At the time, she had seen only portions of the routine. She told CNN that she later watched the entire performance, though she could not recall exactly why she decided to do so. The experience also became the subject of an upcoming Netflix documentary, “Untold: Raygun: Breaking Badly.” Gunn said she now has enough distance from the Olympics to process both the event and its effect on her mental health. She described Paris as one part of her story and said she was focused on accepting what happened and moving forward. Gunn also questioned the importance given to online commentary. She said people may place too much weight on internet reactions, which she considers markedly different from the responses she receives in person. She suggested that becoming the subject of intense online attention might instead be viewed as evidence that someone has done something interesting. She argued that female athletes face especially intense scrutiny, including judgments about their performances, clothing and body shape. The reaction to her Olympic appearance included comedian Rachel Dratch appearing dressed as Gunn on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.” Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also publicly praised Gunn for having “a crack.” The attention led to other projects involving her image. A proposed production called “Raygun: The Musical” was cancelled after Gunn’s legal team sent notices to its creators. The team said it was acting to protect Gunn’s creative rights and the integrity of her work.