Australian breaker Rachel Gunn, also known as “Raygun,” is officially retiring after receiving severe backlash post-Olympics.
The Australian breaker went viral for her performance at this year’s Paris Olympics, with many questioning her qualifications and poking fun at her moves. Despite that, she still ranked No. 1 worldwide in breakdancing.
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However, quoting the “upsetting” feedback she faced from tons of viewers, Raygun has decided to retire.
“I just didn’t have any control over how people saw me or who I was,” she told 2DayFM on Wednesday, per BBC.
Sadly, Raygun received countless messages accusing her of manipulating her way into the Olympics, even though Olympic officials defended her.
“I was going to keep competing, for sure, but that seems really difficult for me to do now,” she continued. “I think the level of scrutiny that’s going to be there, and people will be filming it, and it will go online.”
Many have gone as far as to question whether breaking as a sport should even be included in the Olympics in the first place. In fact, breaking won’t be returning to the 2028 Olympics.
As for Raygun, despite retiring from competitive breaking, she will continue dancing her heart out on the regular.
“Dancing is so much fun, and it makes you feel good. I don’t think people should feel crap about the way that they dance,” she said. “I still dance, and I still break. But, you know, that’s like in my living room with my partner!”
