Rachael Gunn’s father-in-law has spoken out for the first time, criticizing Olympic judges after his daughter-in-law failed to score any points in the break dancing competition.
The 36-year-old, known as Raygun, lost all three of her round-robin battles, with a combined score of 54-0.
Gunn was coached by her husband, Samuel Free, who is also a breakdancer.
Andrew Free, Raygun’s father-in-law and Samuel’s father, took to social media on Saturday to criticize the judges, partially attributing her poor performance to their decisions.
On social media, he said, “It was a pretty stacked competition, and the judges were clearly looking for a specific style of breaking that isn’t Rachael’s.”
He added, “Although they are supposed to evaluate five different aspects with equal weighting, in my obviously biased opinion, they didn’t reward originality and musicality, so she was at a disadvantage.”
He concluded, “The main thing is that she represented Australia and breakdancing at the Olympics with courage and dignity.”
In Paris, officials judged performers across five categories: technique, execution, musicality, originality, and vocabulary.
In a show of support on Sunday, Martin Gilian, the head judge of the breaking competition and known as MGbility, praised Gunn for embodying the spirit of the discipline with her effort to be original.
He also revealed that the breaking federation had offered her mental health support in response to the backlash.
MGbility said in a press conference, “Breaking is all about originality, bringing something new to the table, and representing your country or region.”
He added, “This is exactly what Raygun was doing. She drew inspiration from her surroundings, which, in this case, included elements like a kangaroo.”
He noted, “We have five criteria in the competitive judging system, and unfortunately, her level may not have been as high as the other competitors.”
He continued, trying to explain why Gunn was not awarded any points.
“However, that doesn’t mean she performed poorly. She gave it her all and won the Oceania qualifier. Unfortunately, the other B-girls were just stronger competitors,” MGbility added.
Although Raygun’s family was enthusiastic about her routine, the breakdancer faced widespread criticism for her distinctly Australian performance and uniform.
This included moves like kangaroo hopping, slithering like a snake, and even incorporating ‘the sprinkler,’ an iconic Australian dance move often used by men who aren’t known for their dancing skills.
After the event, Raygun admitted that she struggled to compete athletically with the tricks and spins of her younger opponents.
“I aimed to come out here and showcase something new, different, and creative—my strength lies in my creativity,” she said.
Back home, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese praised Gunn when questioned about the criticism of her routine.
“Raygun gave it her all, and she deserves a lot of credit for that. A big shout-out to her,” he told reporters in Adelaide on Sunday.
“That’s in line with the Australian tradition of giving it a go. She made an effort to represent our country, and that’s something to be commended.”
“Whether they’ve won gold medals or simply done their best, that’s all we ask for. What truly matters is their participation.”
However, Megan Davis, an NRL commissioner and a key advocate of the Uluru Statement from the Heart, called the academic’s performance a ‘disgrace.’
“Intentionally scoring zero points in three rounds for an academic study funded by taxpayers, both at a university and Olympic level, isn’t funny and isn’t ‘giving it a go,'” she said on social media via The Australian. “It’s disrespectful to the other competitors.”
‘This is a totally mainstream media-driven narrative. Cos they see themselves in her. Affluent, comfortable life, educated, not a care in the world, nothing matters really, what fun, what a fun Aussie gal, chortle chortle.’
Breakdancing has been removed from the lineup for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, and there is no assurance that it will be included in the Brisbane 2032 Games or future Olympics.
Raygun is a lecturer in the Department of Media, Communications, Creative Arts, Language, and Literature at Macquarie University in Sydney.
Queensland Senator Gerard Rennick shared Raygun’s official Macquarie University profile in a Facebook post after she went viral, highlighting that she received taxpayer funding to study breakdancing at the university.
“Raygun’s PhD thesis focused on ‘the intersection of gender and Sydney’s breaking culture.’ Her publications include:”
“It also raises the question: how many obscure and pointless courses do universities offer that are subsidized by taxpayers?”
“Having a PhD in something doesn’t necessarily mean you’re good at it.”
