Raygun has just done her first interview since the Paris Olympics. This is what she said.

The woman who had the internet in a chokehold during the Paris 2024 Olympics has spoken about her experience. In a world exclusive TV interview, Rachael 'Raygun' Gunn went on The Project tonight to talk everything Olympics, breakdancing, and those viral memes that seemed to divide (or unite) the internet.

Sitting down with Waleed Aly tonight, Raygun discussed her experience at the Paris 2024 Olympics, her response to the backlash, and whether she is still dancing now. 

Raygun competes during the Breaking B-Girls Round Robin Group B battle between Logistx and Raygun on Day 14 of the Olympic Games Paris 2024. Image: Getty Images

When asked about her Olympic breakdancing routine, something that caused quite the stir online, Raygun told Aly, "I wanted to bring out some Australian moves and themes, you know. I love our Olympic mascot, BK, the boxing kangaroo and I wanted to show that. And that's the wonderful about breaking you can take inspiration from any source."

Dr. Rachael Gunn, 36, whose breaking name is 'Raygun', is a lecturer at Sydney's Macquarie University. She first made headlines when she competed at the Paris 2024 Olympics as Australia’s female breakdancing representative, but the exciting, life-changing achievement soon descended into chaos only hours after her performance. Memes and viral TikToks quickly made their way across the world, branding her performance as awkward and even, unqualified. 

Quickly, the vibe shifted from amused, to enraged, as people left cruel, scathing jabs on Raygun’s social media profiles.

On one Instagram post, one commenter wrote, "Someone said that breakdancing was born in the Bronx but died in Paris and honestly... facts." Another had an even more extreme reaction, commenting, "You’re just bad. Not different. Bad. Lose the confidence."

Many even went as far as to blame Raygun for the removal of breakdancing from the 2028 LA Olympic Games lineup. "Breakdancing had one shot and you single-handedly ruined it," wrote one Instagram user. Yikes. 

Rachael 'Raygun' Gunn poses during a portrait session in the Sydney central business district. Image: Getty images 

"Yeah, it's been a pretty wild ride. I'm not going to lie. I definitely have my ups and downs my, my good and bad days, but it has been honestly so amazing to see the positive response to my performance. Like I never thought that I would be able to... connect with so many people in such a positive way. So that has been just so amazing. But yeah, it definitely has been tough at times," Raygun said told Aly.

Following her performance at the Olympics, Raygun said that the backlash was anxiety-inducing.

"I was quite nervous being out in public 'cos I just didn't know what was safe if anyone was gonna recognise me, [or] how they were gonna respond to seeing me. It was pretty nerve-wracking for a while there," she said.

The onslaught of hate would be enough to discourage anyone, but Raygun stuck it to the haters and was seen breaking out her moves once again at the Paris closing ceremony. 

"I was feeling pretty anxious that day. It was all kind of affecting me… weighing on me a bit more. I wasn’t sure if I was even going to go to the closing ceremony. It was just so nice to have the support of all the other Olympians there,” she said.

Tonight Raygun addressed the ongoing hate she had been receiving since the games and including those infamous rumours insinuating she had cheated her way into the Olympic games. 

"That was upsetting because it wasn't just people that, you know, didn't understand breaking and were just angry about my performance. It was people that are now attacking our reputation and our integrity and look, you know, none of them were grounded in any kind of facts and obviously, [the rumours are] still circulating," she said.

As for how she qualified for the Olympics in the first place?

"I won the Oceania Championships," she said simply. And no, she didn't know any of them.

She continued, "There were nine judges, all from overseas. I don't think any of them have judged anything that I'd been in before, and I was, you know, super nervous about it, to be honest, because even though I'd won all these competitions in Australia, I was nervous about winning this one because it was all new judges."

Raygun competes during the Breaking B-Girls Round Robin Group B battle between Logistx and Raygun on Day 14 of the Olympic Games Paris 2024. Image: Getty Images

During the interview, Aly also asked some questions regarding the criticism Raygun has been facing when it comes to diversity in the Australian breakdancing community. In response, Raygun said, "There's a number of white B girls in Australia actually; I don't know what it is about us white as white women and being attracted to breaking. So I think if even if [the Olympic position] went to the second or third, there, it still would have been a white be girl representing [the country]." 

Speaking about Raygun's mindset and expectations when it came to competing at the Olympics, unlike what many believe, she believes she was actually quite realistic before competing. 

"I knew my chances were slim as soon as I qualified. I was like, 'Oh my gosh, what have I done?' Because I knew that I was gonna get beaten and I knew that people were not gonna understand my style and what I was gonna do," she said. 

Towards the end of the interview, Aly asked Raygun, despite all the negativity, whether she believed she was the best female breakdancer in Australia. Finishing the interview on a high note, Raygun responded, "Well, I think my record speaks to that, you know? I was the top ranked Australian B girl in 2020, 2022 and 2023. I've been invited to represent at how many world Championships? Paris, Korea... the record is there, but anything can happen in a battle, you know? It's always about what happens on the day that consistency shows my level."  

Since the Olympics, Raygun said she hasn't been dancing much and that it is indeed a process being able to get back up after what has happened. 

"I don’t think I'll be competing for a while," she mused. "Not really wanting to be in the spotlight, breaking, competing. But, you know, it's been nice, it’s been a bit of a process to start dancing again... I'm really happy that it gets to go back to being my medicine. I can kind of finally feel free again."

Image: 10 / Getty