Olympic viewers were left confused by Australian athlete Raygun’s performance in Paris on Friday afternoon.
The 36-year-old, whose real name is Rachael Gunn, went viral after she moved awkwardly on the dance floor, showing she was far less talented than many of her competitors.
However, images have surfaced of the performance that secured Raygun’s qualification for the 2024 Games.
In a video posted last November, she was seen taking on another breaker, Molly, at the WDSF Oceania Breaking Championships.
Dressed in baggy jeans and a burgundy jacket, she showed off her skills as she twirled and writhed on the floor.
New footage has emerged of Raygun qualifying for the Olympics after her 0-3 performance
She won the 2023 WDSF Oceania Breaking Championships ahead of the Paris Games
Raygun participated in three qualifying rounds on Friday and the Australian ultimately failed to score a single point against her three rivals.
However, she is Australia’s top breakdancer and a creative arts researcher specialising in ‘the cultural politics of breakdance’ at Macquarie University in Sydney.
Shortly after her appearance on the world stage, she broke her silence by share a cryptic message on Instagram.
She reposted a post from the “Breaking for Gold” account, quoting herself: “Don’t be afraid to be different. Go out there and represent yourself, you never know where that will take you.”
While many found Raygun’s “embarrassing” performance ridiculous, she also gained many new fans who praised her for her determination to compete against athletes more than half her age.
“I could live my whole life and never think of anything as funny as Raygun, the 36-year-old Australian breakdancer competing in the Olympics,” one user on X wrote alongside a clip of the Olympian.
The 36-year-old Australian quickly went viral on social media for her quirky performance at the Olympics
Shortly after, she took to social media and shared a cryptic message to her 4,000 followers
Gunn gestures next to Team USA’s Logistx during the dance round robin event in Paris
“I’ve never seen breaking before, but I already know Raygun doesn’t stand a chance in this event,” added another.
“When a ray gun breaks, it’s like me going to my mom at 5 and saying, ‘Look what I can do,’” a third joked.
Others praised the Australian woman for her confidence and courage.
“Many thanks to Raygun for having the guts to come out,” one user suggested. “But this was the most secondhand embarrassment I’ve ever felt.”
“Raygun from Australia is actually my Olympic hero,” added another.
Meanwhile, a sixth user wrote: “Raygun I’m sure you’re a sweet lady but man,” with a laughing and crying emoji.