Australian breakdancer ray gun He just announced that his first Olympic Games would be his last.

Raygun, 37, revealed on Tuesday, November 5, that he is retiring from professional competition after his viral Paris 2024 Olympic Games performance. “I still break but I don’t compete. “I’m not going to compete anymore, no,” shared the athlete, whose real name Rachael Gunn, during an interview on the Australian show. The Jimmy and Nath Show.

Raygun said he planned to continue competing in the breakdancing world after the Olympics earlier this summer, but reactions to his performance at the Games made it difficult to do so.

“That seems really difficult to do now, to approach a battle. “I still dance and I still break, but it’s like in my living room with my partner,” he explained. “I think there will be a level of scrutiny and, you know, people will film it and it will be posted online. And it just won’t mean the same. It will not be the same experience because of everything that is at stake.”

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Australian breaker Raygun is being praised for her bravery following her viral performance at the Paris 2024 Olympics, with even an Olympic judge coming to her defence. “It’s about originality and bringing something new to the table and representing your country or region,” Martin Gilian (aka MGbility), the head breaking judge at (…)

While fans won’t be seeing Raygun on the dance floor again anytime soon, she joked that she has “some projects behind the scenes.” She shared: “It’s all, more or less, the same kind of vibe of trying to generate more positivity, trying to encourage people to dance and have fun and be creative and be themselves, be their authentic selves, whatever.” whatever. seems.”

Raygun was a social media sensation at the Paris Olympics after competing in the first breakdancing event of the Games. She didn’t achieve any victories, but she left an impression on viewers with her unique dance moves.

However, his Olympic debut was also met with criticism as some viewers compared his skill level to that of his fellow competitors. a request In August, fans launched a transparency request about Raygun’s Olympic selection, suggesting she “manipulated” her way onto the Australian team and took a place among the most deserving breakdancers.

Australian breaking organization AUSBreak promptly shut down the rumors that Raygun cheated to get to the Olympics. “We condemn the global online harassment and intimidation against Raygun,” the group wrote in a August statement. “The pressure to perform on the Olympic stage is immense, especially against opponents from your particular group. We stand in solidarity with Raygun.”

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ray gun broke his silence about the backlash later that month. “I really appreciate the positivity and I’m glad I was able to bring some joy to their lives. “That’s what I expected,” he said in an Aug. 15 statement. Instagram video. “I didn’t realize that that would also open the door to so much hate, which frankly has been pretty devastating. While I went out and had fun, I took it very seriously. “I worked hard preparing for the Olympics and I gave it my all, I really did.”

She continued: “We have all been through a lot as a result of this, so I ask that you respect their privacy.”

Raygun continued to talk about the response to his performance at the Olympics. “frightening,” stating in a September interview with Australian Television Channel 10 that viewers were “uneducated” about professional breakdancing.

“I’m very sorry for the reaction the community has experienced, but I can’t control how people react,” he said. “Unfortunately, we just need more resources in Australia to have a chance to be world champions.”