Will live on forever in meme history": Internet reacts with memes as RayGun announces retirement post Olympics debacle
Following the Olympic debacle regarding her performance at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, Australian competitive breakdancer Raygun has announced her retirement. On November 6, Raygun stated the same in an interview with Australia's 2DayFM's The Jimmy and Nath Show. She said:
“I’m not going to compete anymore, no. I was going to keep competing, for sure, but that seems really difficult for me to do now to approach a battle. Yeah, I mean I still dance, and I still break. But, you know, that’s like in my living room with my partner. It’s been really upsetting. I just didn’t have any control over how people saw me or who I was.”
She further said on the radio show:
"Dancing is so much fun, and it makes you feel good, and I don’t think people should feel cr*p about, you know, the way that they dance.”
Now, once this news went public, and was uploaded online by X user @MarioNawfal, people took to the comment section to react to Raygun's retirement. One X user said that her moves will forever be in “meme history.”
“Well, they say the internet never forgets—looks like Raygun’s moves will live on forever in meme history!” one X user said.
Others joined the bandwagon and said that she can’t “retire from something she hasn't done.”
“You can’t retire from something you never did,” another one said.
“Wait. How can one retire from something they've technically never done? I mean trying to call flailing around slightly "break dancing" is a bit of an insult to the real break dancers everywhere,” wrote another X user.
“I always feel so embarrassed for her,” another X user commented.
One person said that they have no sympathy towards her as she “stole opportunities” from other people.
“Thanks for the memes Raygun,” one person joked.
“Nobody should have said anything. This was comedy gold,” another one joked.
“I have no sympathy for that woman. "Raygun" stole opportunities from really talented breakdancers and stole their Olympic dreams,” one X user criticized.
Rachael "Raygun" Gunn is now retiring from participating in any more competitions
Rachael "Raygun" Gunn recently said that she will no longer compete, even though she still does breakdance. According to Gunn, 37, who appeared on 2DayFM's The Jimmy and Nath Show, she only breakdances at home with her partner since it has gotten "really difficult" for her to do it publically.
“Yeah, I mean I still dance, and I still break. But, you know, that’s like in my living room with my partner. It’s been really upsetting. I just didn’t have any control over how people saw me or who I was," she said.
During her Olympics performance, Gunn demonstrated breaking moves that included rolling on her back, spinning on her head, and "the kangaroo," which was reportedly one of her special moves. However, after she received 0 points, many questioned how she got into the Olympics in the first place.
Additionally, after the dancer got selected for the competition, there were a lot of tweets and conspiracies on the internet. As per CNN's November 6 report, following these conspiracy theories, Gunn claimed that the “conspiracy theories were totally wild" and said:
“But I just try and stay on the positives and that’s what gets me through. The people that have like (said), ‘you have inspired me to go out there and do something that I’ve been too shy to do... You know, we’re so proud of you.’”
Raygun has previously discussed the criticism she faced after losing. In an Instagram post on August 15, she stated:
“I didn’t realize that that would also open the door to so much hate, which has frankly been pretty devastating. While I went out there and I had fun, I did take it very seriously. I worked my bu*t off, preparing for the Olympics and I gave my all truly..."
After her controversial Olympic performance, many accused Gunn of manipulating the qualification process. However, the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) refuted these claims.