Raygun, the Olympics, and a World Turned Upside Down

Before the 2024 Olympic Games, Australian breakdancer Rachael Gunn — known as Raygun — was scared she was not good enough to compete. She told her therapist her biggest fear: that the whole world might laugh at her. Her therapist asked if that was really a reasonable thing to worry about. As it turned out, it was.

A new Netflix documentary called Raygun: Breaking Badly tells her full story. It is part of the Untold series, which covers unusual and surprising sports stories. The film follows Raygun from art student to university teacher to Olympic breakdancer, after breaking — also called B-girling — made its debut at the 2024 Paris Games. It shows how she qualified fairly, and the self-doubt she felt when she arrived at the Olympic village at age 36.

During the competition, Raygun lost all three of her battles and scored zero points. In her final round, she chose to dance in her own creative style rather than follow what others expected. Her husband and coach, Sammy Free, called her performance beautiful and creative. But the judges and much of the world did not agree.

Videos of her performance spread across social media almost instantly. She became one of the most mocked athletes the world had ever seen, with jokes and memes shared on every major platform. What started as playful teasing quickly turned dark and cruel. False stories spread online claiming that Sammy had cheated to help her qualify, and she was labeled a cheater who never deserved to be at the Olympics.

The wave of online hate sent Raygun into a deep spiral of anxiety. She and Sammy hid away in Europe while she struggled to cope. She needed medication just to get through each day, and her parents were left in tears when she finally allowed them to speak to her. 'I was cringe, I brought shame and embarrassment on the country,' she said. 'That was rough.'

Help came from British businessman Sir Richard Branson, who had been impressed by her bravery and disturbed by the hate she received. He invited Raygun and Sammy on a cruise and praised her in front of large, cheering crowds. Branson said the world needs original thinkers and that she had done something extraordinary by standing out. Raygun called the experience a 'lifeline' that helped bring her back.

About 18 months after Paris, Raygun returned to the stage in Taiwan to dance in front of a live crowd for the first time. She cried backstage as memories of Paris came rushing back. But she performed anyway, determined to show the world she had not given up. She says her one goal is to keep dancing and prove that what happened has not defeated her.