Australian breaker Rachael Gunn, who drew global scrutiny for her performance at Paris 2024, will no longer compete, revealing that she has retired following the tidal wave of attention that left her without “any control over how people saw me or who I was”.
Gunn, 37, a university lecturer from Sydney who specialises in the cultural politics of breaking, failed to score any points at the Paris Olympics in three routines that included a kangaroo and a sprinkler in her breaking battles. It became a flashpoint, as Gunn was the target of online ridicule, and even a petition, and worldwide attention.
Rachael Gunn’s performance at the Olympics captured worldwide attention.Credit: AP
Speaking on 2DayFM Jimmy & Nath for Breakfast show on Wednesday, Gunn said that the reaction to her Paris performance had been personally upsetting and that she would no longer compete.
“I still break, but I don’t compete. I’m not going to compete any more. No. No,” she said.
“I was going to keep competing, for sure, but that seems really difficult for me to do now to approach a battle.
“Yeah, I mean I still dance, and I still break. But, you know, that’s like in my living room with my partner!
“It’s been really upsetting. I just didn’t have any control over how people saw me or who I was.
“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.
