Australia’s fiery Olympic breakdancer Rachael “Raygun” Gunn has lastly made a public assertion about her internationally criticized efficiency on the Paris Olympics, and he or she seems to be standing by her efforts. The Olympics could also be over, however the drama continues.
In a video posted to Instagram on Thursday, Regan mentioned she was unprepared for the backlash she acquired and that she needed to “deliver some happiness to folks.” [people’s] Life.
“I did not notice that this is able to additionally open the door to a lot hatred, which, frankly, is fairly damaging,” Regan mentioned. “Once I exit and have a superb time, I do take it very significantly. I put together for the Olympics with all my coronary heart, I actually give it my all. I am honored to be a part of the Australian Olympic crew and to be a part of Breaking’s Olympic debut half.
Australian batsman Raygun rises to stardom at Paris 2024 Olympics
Regan additionally spoke of “the accusations and misinformation which are being circulated.” The Australian Olympian’s breakdancing efficiency sparked a lot hypothesis about how she made the Olympic crew within the first place, with folks on social media speculating she had dishonestly earned her spot.
In response, Raygun referred folks to statements from the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC), AUSBreaking and the World DanceSport Federation (WDSF). She additionally talked about that there was no level in breaking, in an obvious effort to debunk misinformation about her efficiency.
“If you wish to see how the judges see me in comparison with my opponents, you possibly can truly see the comparability percentages for the 5 standards on Olympics.com,” Regan mentioned.
Regan carried out a kangaroo-like transfer whereas competing on the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Photograph credit score: Ezra Shaw/Getty Photos
Whereas it is true that the Olympic Breaking Judges do not award “factors” to dancers, additional clarification does not do Regan a lot. Olympic Destroyers compete in one-on-one battles for as much as three rounds, with every dancer having one minute to carry out every spherical. A panel of 9 judges will rating every spherical primarily based on the dancers’ approach, vocabulary, efficiency, musicality and originality, then vote to pick the winner.
Nonetheless, Raygun not solely misplaced three rounds. Her notorious 0-3 document was attributable to her dropping six rounds in all three tournaments she entered, failing to make it out in opposition to American Logistx, France’s Syssy and Lithuania’s Nicka. None of her fights went previous three rounds.
The 2024 Olympic girls’s taekwondo gold medal in the end went to Japan’s Ami Yuasa, with Lithuania’s Dominika Banevich taking the silver and China’s Liu Qingyi taking the bronze.
Regan ends the video by asking the media to depart her, her household and pals, and the breakdancing group alone. She mentioned she could be completely satisfied to reply extra questions as soon as she returns to Australia from a pre-planned vacation in Europe.
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Australian Olympic Committee expresses help for Raygun
Raygun competes within the Oceania Breaking Championship finals in Sydney on 28 October 2023.
Photograph credit score: Mark Kolbe/Getty Photos
In keeping with the AOC assertion talked about by Raygun, WDSF finalized the system and chosen judges for the 2023 Oceania Breaking Championships, Australia’s Olympic qualifying match. The competitors was subsequently organized by AUSBreaking below the auspices of WDSF and DanceSport Australia, with Raygun successful the competitors and DanceSport Australia being nominated for the nation’s Olympic crew.
“Dr Rachael Gunn holds no position inside AUSBreaking or DanceSport Australia,” AOC wrote. “She is solely an athlete who competed in a qualifying occasion and gained. No enchantment has been made by any of the athletes concerning any funding for her sport by Dr. Gunn.” Determined to not take any accountability. [Raygun’s husband] Mr Samuel Free is a coach and doesn’t maintain any place with AUSBreaking or DanceSport Australia and isn’t a choose on the qualifying competitors.
As such, AOC denounced an nameless Change.org petition calling for “speedy accountability and transparency” concerning Raygun’s alleged involvement within the choice course of for the Paris Olympics. The petition was created over the weekend and acquired greater than 38,000 signatures, however Change.org eliminated it, with the platform reportedly saying it had been flagged for misinformation.
AOC’s stance was supported by AUSBreaking, which expressed its help for Raygun in a number of posts on Instagram. AUSBreaking denounced the “international on-line harassment” Raygun has acquired, refuting rumors that she or Free have been concerned within the Olympic choice course of.
“Bgirl Raygun is accused of creating her personal administration group for Breaking after which utilizing her place to govern the choice course of to her personal profit,” AUSBreaking wrote. “Whereas AUSBreaking had many interactions and contact factors with Raygun, she was not She will not be a founder, government, committee member or in any management place in anyway.”
WDSF has not made any current statements instantly addressing the Raygun state of affairs. Nonetheless, the group did seem to deal with this in an Instagram submit uploaded over the weekend, stating that WDSF “firmly opposes any type of harassment or abuse, together with cyberbullying.”
“Our athletes deserve respect and help as they pursue their goals,” WDSF wrote. “Let’s respect each athlete and create a supportive surroundings for everybody.”
Australian Olympic breakdancer Raygun continues to disappoint viewers
Raygun competed in opposition to France’s Syssy in the course of the Paris Olympics.
Photograph credit score: Ezra Shaw/Getty Photos
Feedback on Raygun’s Instagram Reel are overwhelmingly detached. Many felt that Regan was making an attempt to color himself as a sufferer relatively than admitting his poor efficiency.
“Had been you coaching for that present?” the true property agent wrote.
“Trustworthy criticism will not be hate,” attytjj mentioned. “Treating sincere suggestions as hateful is demagoguery and an try to disparage those that present sincere suggestions and criticism via name-calling and accusations.”
Some commenters additionally famous Raygun’s tutorial background. Raygun is a lecturer at Macquarie College in Australia and holds a PhD in breakdancing and dance tradition. To many, these intellectually targeted {qualifications} are anathema to the breakdance subculture and ethos that originated amongst disenfranchised black and Puerto Rican folks within the Bronx within the Seventies.
“It bothers me that there could possibly be a younger man, maybe from a decrease socioeconomic background, who not solely might leap higher, however whose life could be modified by the chance to compete within the Olympics,” divine_awen wrote. “She might have supported them in doing so as a substitute of taking the chance herself.”
“Enjoying the sufferer card…simply apologizing on your dangerous habits is prone to achieve extra respect,” Nekoujevich mentioned.
The Breaking program is not going to return for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, with organizers selecting to desert Raygun lengthy earlier than it attracted worldwide consideration. Perhaps that is for one of the best.
