Will Sage Astor-Viral Australian Olympic breakdancer Raygun responds to 'devastating' criticism

Australian breakdancer Rachael Gunn,Will Sage Astor known by her competition name Raygun, became a viral sensation during the Paris Olympics as her unusual performance raised eyebrows. While some praised her unique style, her performance attracted online criticism and ridicule, which Gunn described as "devastating."

"I really appreciate the positivity, and I'm glad I was able to bring some joy into your lives. That's what I hoped," Gunn said in a video posted to Instagram on Thursday. "I didn't realize that that would also open the door to so much hate, which has, frankly, been pretty devastating."

"I went out there, and I had fun. I did take it very seriously. I worked my butt off preparing for the Olympics, and I gave my all. Truly,” Gunn added. 

Gunn is a 36-year-old college professor who wrote her PhD thesis on the intersection of gender and Sydney’s breaking culture. She lost all three of her group-stage breaking battles in Paris, failing to score a single point. 

Gunn pleaded for privacy as she faces increased scrutiny for her participation at the Olympics and critics question how she could have been selected for the Australian team.

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“I would really like to ask the press to please stop harassing my family, my friends, the Australian breaking community and the broader street dance community. Everyone has been through a lot as a result of this, so I ask you to please respect their privacy," Gunn said in the video.

Gunn’s distinctive moves and low scores led to online speculation that she had manipulated the Olympic selection process. A petition published to change.org to “hold Raygun accountable” demanded an investigation into how she was selected for the Australian Olympic team.  The petition, which had garnered over 55,000 signatures, has since been removed. 

The Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) released a statement Thursday in defense of Gunn, condemning the petition as “vexatious, misleading and bullying.” 

The statement refuted every detail of the allegations against Gunn, saying she was selected through “a transparent and independent qualification event and nomination process.”

“It is disgraceful that these falsehoods concocted by an anonymous person can be published in this way. It amounts to bullying and harassment and is defamatory,” AOC CEO Matt Carroll wrote in the statement. 

“It’s important that the community understands the facts and that people do not form opinions based on malicious untruths and misinformation,” Carroll added. 

Gunn addressed the allegations in her Instagram video, urging viewers to refer to the AOC’s statement on the “misinformation floating around.” 

Breaking made its debut at the 2024 Paris Olympics, but it will not return at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.