‘Panic’: Aussie breaker ‘Raygun’ makes public apology
Rachael “Raygun” Gunn has said sorry to thousands around the world over one detail surrounding her Paris Olympics scandal.
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Rachael “Raygun” Gunn has made a public apology in an extraordinary first interview since her Paris Olympics saga.
The Australian cult figure’s performance during breaking’s debut at the Paris Games created international headlines, but it is only now that she is facing the music.
The divisive “b-girl” has sat down for a tell-all interview with Network Ten’s The Project, which will air at 6.30pm (AEST) on 10 and 10Play.
In an excerpt of the the sit-down interview with host Waleed Aly, obtained exclusively by news.com.au, the 37-year-old has responded to some of the most explosive accusations that have swirled since she was knocked out in the round robin stage of the event at the Paris la Concorde urban park.
Her uniquely “ocker” style fell flat on the global stage and she became a punching bag for social media users as well as celebrities, including Adele and Jimmy Fallon.
Gunn, a Macquarie University academic, who researches the cultural politics of breaking, has now finally shared her side of the story.
When asked by Aly if she “genuinely” believes she is the best female breaker in Australia, Gunn responds: “I think my record speaks to that”.
Gunn’s most striking comment in the interview includes an open apology to the breakdancing community following suggestions her performances damaged the art form’s reputation.
“It is really sad to hear those criticisms,” she says.
“And I am very sorry for the backlash that the community has experienced, but I can’t control how people react.”
Gunn has also shared how she has really felt during the ordeal, including the incredible scenes of TV cameras chasing her through public streets.
“That was really wild,” she tells Aly.
“If people are chasing me, what do I do? But that really did put me in a state of panic.”
Gunn is now moving on from the storm and is already looking ahead to her next projects with widespread rumours claiming she is about to make a big splash in the Aussie media industry.
Reports on Wednesday suggested TV networks have been battling to secure the Olympian a spot on their shows.
“The future of one of the world’s most talked about Australians, Raygun, is currently being negotiated with multiple TV offers,” Yahoo reported.
“They are looking for ‘exclusive-network-deals’ that could be 12 to 24 months long. Blocking out other opportunities from competing programming.”
Gunn’s responses to Aly will further endear her to her many fans, but will likely do little to appease those that have criticised her antics.
The viral videos of Gunn hopping like a Kangaroo and flailing on the floor like a fish out of water in Paris have led to accusations she may have indirectly killed breaking’s chances of ever returning to the Olympics.
Breaking will not feature at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles and the Brisbane Olympics Organising Committee will ultimately get the final say on whether the “sport” returns for the Games in 2032.
The even crueller accusation swirling is that Gunn hijacked breaking’s moment on the big stage. Her self-deprecating style went right over the heads of the international audience and resulted in suggestions the sport was not professional enough to be added to the most elite, high performance sporting competition on the planet.
Gunn has also been forced to deal with public scrutiny surrounding how she booked her ticket on the plane to Paris as Australia’s best breaker alongside b-boy Jeff “J-Attack” Dunne.
Public questions have been raised about her qualification for the Olympics where she won the Oceania Championships in October, 2023, competing against just 14 other “b-girls”.
That speculation has never been supported by any evidence to suggest she was not Australia’s best breaker at the time.
Gunn didn’t return to Australia with the majority of Australia’s Olympic team after the Paris Closing Ceremony, instead taking “some pre-planned down time”.
It seems her life is about to get as busy as she’s ever been with rumours that Ten’s I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here is just one of many reality TV shows interested in recruiting her.
The interview with Aly will include Gunn’s response to the big question about whether she will ever return to participate in an elite breaking competition.
— Watch the full interview tonight on The Project on 10 and 10Play from 6.30pm (AEST)
Originally published as ‘Panic’: Aussie breaker ‘Raygun’ makes public apology
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