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Australia's Rachael Gunn, known as Raygun, competes in the Women's Breaking dance Round robin of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at La Concorde in Paris on 9 August 2024. (Odd Andersen/AFP)
An Australian woman breakdancer ridiculed on social media for her unique Paris Olympics routine has hit back at her critics.
Rachael "Raygun" Gunn's breaking performance, featuring one move compared to a kangaroo hopping, lost all three of her match-ups against rival dancers, or B-Girls.
Her moves unleashed a string of social media memes and unfavourable comparisons, including one on X of Homer Simpson rolling around the floor.
Gunn, a 36-year-old Sydney university lecturer, was also criticised by some for wearing her green-and-gold team uniform, shunning the urban streetwear favoured by others.
"Looking forward to the same level of scrutiny on what the bboys wear tomorrow," the Australian replied on Instagram late on Friday night in Paris.
"I was always going to be the underdog going in," she told Australia's Nine Network after her last Paris performance.
Australia's Rachael Gunn (L), known as Raygun gestures next to US' Logan Edra, known as Logistx, during their battle as part of the Women's Breaking dance Round robin of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at La Concorde in Paris, on 9 August 2024. (Odd Andersen/AFP)
"I was never going to beat these B-Girls at what they do, so I did what I do best and I went out and I showed myself, my creativity, my style, a little bit of Australian character so that I could try and make my mark on this world stage."
She was quoted as telling reporters it was a "matter of pride" for her to wear the Australian uniform.
One reporter and commentator in The Australian newspaper, Will Swanton, said people should "lay off" the athlete.
"She was cheerful, proud and actually cared enough about her country to wear the green and gold," he wrote.
"Sure, the biggest thing she broke was the internet. But there's a lot worse performers at every sport at every Olympics," he said.
The Australian breakdancer Raygun you've seen clips of beat 14 opponents to secure a spot at the olympics. She also has a PhD in breakdancing.
I had to see what those finals looked like. Yeah, it's what you'd expect. pic.twitter.com/9ez2i0SsSe
"She spoke beautifully afterwards and anyone who knows her says she's a lovely human."
On her own Instagram account, Gunn posted: "Don't be afraid to be different, go out there and represent yourself, you never where that's gonna take you."
