The Australian breakdancer, who gained widespread attention after her controversial debut at the 2024 Olympics, recently expressed gratitude for her supporters while also addressing the criticism she has faced since the Paris event. “I want to thank everyone who has supported me,” Rachel said in a video posted on Instagram on August 15. “I really appreciate the positivity and I’m happy that I was able to bring some joy into your lives. That was my goal.” However, what the 36-year-old did not expect was the backlash that followed her performance. “I didn’t realize that it would also lead to so much hate, which has been quite devastating,” she said. “While I went out there and had fun, I took it very seriously.
I worked hard to prepare for the Olympics and I gave it my all. I am honored to have been a part of the Australian Olympic Team and to be part of breakdancing’s Olympic debut.” Rachel’s recent message comes shortly after many publicly defended her amid the controversy surrounding her debut, including a leading breakdancing Olympic judge. “It’s all about originality and bringing something new to the table while representing your country or region,” Martin Gilian said during a recent press conference, according to CNN. “This is exactly what Raygun was doing; she was inspired by her surroundings, which in this case, for example, was a kangaroo.” Despite social media commentary on her routine, the judges had a different perspective. “She created some original moves, which may have been amusing or entertaining for others, but for us, she essentially represented breaking and hip hop,” he continued. “She was striving to be original and bring something new to the table.
From our point of view, there was nothing really shocking.
