Controversial Australian Olympic breaker retires from competition

Australian breaker Rachael Gunn has told a Sydney power position that she plans to discontinue from title conscionable 3 months aft her unconventional regular astatine nan Paris Olympics led to her being bullied and spawned conspiracy theories astir really she ...

SYDNEY -- Australian breaker Rachael Gunn has told a Sydney power position that she plans to discontinue from title conscionable 3 months aft her unconventional regular astatine nan Paris Olympics led to her being bullied and spawned conspiracy theories astir really she qualified for nan Games.

The now 37-year-old Sydney assemblage teacher grounded to get connected nan scoreboard successful each 3 of her title rounds successful August, pinch a regular that included unorthodox moves specified arsenic a kangaroo hop.

Gunn had initially planned to support competing but said nan acquisition had been truthful “upsetting” that she changed her mind.

“I conscionable didn’t person immoderate power complete really group saw maine aliases who I was,” she told power position 2DayFM. “I was going to support competing, for sure, but that seems really difficult for maine to do now. I deliberation nan level of scrutiny that’s going to beryllium there, and group will beryllium filming it, and it will spell online.”

Breaking was being contested astatine an Olympics for nan first clip . And it mightiness beryllium a one-and-done, not scheduled connected nan Olympic programme for Los Angeles successful 2028 aliases for Brisbane, Australia successful 2032.

“Raygun” arsenic she was known, was later ridiculed connected societal media, pinch immoderate posts besides questioning nan Olympic qualifying process.

In a tv question and reply for The Project connected Australia’s Channel 10 successful September, she told of being chased by cameras done Paris streets and really she dealt pinch nan very nationalist guidance to her performance.

“That was really wild,” she said. “If group are chasing me, what do I do? That really did put maine successful a authorities of panic. I was tense to beryllium retired successful public. It was beautiful nerve-wracking for a while.”

She apologized for nan commotion, but again defended her capacity and said she was thankful for support from others successful nan sport.

She had antecedently defended how she qualified for Paris, and reiterated it connected nan TV program.

“I won nan Oceania championships. It was a nonstop qualifier,” Gunn said. “There were 9 judges, each from overseas. I knew my chances were slim arsenic soon arsenic I qualified,” for nan Olympics.

“People didn’t understand breaking and were conscionable angry astir my performance,” she added. “The conspiracy theories were conscionable atrocious and that was really upsetting. People are now attacking our estimation and our integrity — nary of them were grounded successful facts.”

Gunn’s capacity was mocked online and connected television, including successful a sketch connected Jimmy Fallon’s late-night TV show.

In her Sydney power question and reply Wednesday, Gunn said she won't extremity breaking entirely.

“I still creation and I still break." she said. "But that’s like, successful my surviving room pinch my partner.”

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AP Paris Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games