Viral Australian Olympian Rachael “Raygun” Gunn has lost her job at Sydney’s Macquarie University.
Image: X
Rachael “Raygun” Gunn became a global talking point during the 2024 Paris Olympics after her breakdancing performance in the sport’s Olympic debut went viral for all the wrong and very internet reasons.
Raygun, who represented Australia in breaking, delivered a routine that stood out immediately for its unconventional style, including exaggerated movements, low scoring execution and a very confused global audience trying to figure out what they had just watched.
Within hours, clips spread across social media where users turned them into memes, reaction videos and endless commentary, because the internet does what it does best.
Some called it performance art, others called it a misread of the moment, and many just sat there asking the universal question: “Wait… this is the Olympics?”
Before going viral, Gunn was a respected academic and cultural studies lecturer at Macquarie University in Sydney, with a background in dance research and breaking culture. But after the Olympics, her name shifted from lecture halls to trending pages almost overnight.
Following the Olympics, reports indicate that Gunn has now faced a new professional setback after losing her university role as part of broader restructuring and job reductions linked to institutional changes.
The move marks a shift away from her academic position at a time when she remains in the public eye due to her Olympic appearance.
X user @SinTerRIGHT commented: "Should have been fired for embarrassing Australia, the Olympics, breakdancing and the fraud of her being qualified. How she wasn’t fined or in jail is beyond me."
Another X user commented: "She is a complete and utter embarrassment to our country so I’m not surprised."
Gunn has previously addressed criticism surrounding her performance, explaining that her approach to breaking reflects her personal interpretation and background in the art form rather than traditional competitive scoring styles.
She has maintained that her involvement in the sport is rooted in cultural understanding and creative expression.
Her Olympic routine continues to be referenced in discussions about the inclusion of breaking in major sporting events and how emerging disciplines are judged on global stages.
In the aftermath, Gunn’s career trajectory has moved from academia into a more uncertain space shaped by public attention and media coverage.