SYDNEY, NOV 7 — Australian dancer Rachael Gunn has told a Sydney radio station she plans to retire from competition three months after her performance at the Paris Olympics left her derided and sparked questions about how she qualified for the games.
The 37-year-old Sydney university lecturer failed to score in all three rounds of his competition in August with his performance including a strange move such as a kangaroo jump.
Gunn initially planned to continue competing but said the experience was so ‘upsetting’ that he changed his mind.
“I can’t control how people see me or who I am,” he told the radio station 2DayFM. “Initially, I thought I would continue to compete but that seems very difficult now. I think the level of observation that will be there (in other competitions) and people will record it to go viral.”
Events breaking was contested at the Olympics for the first and last time after not being scheduled on the Olympic program for Los Angeles in 2028 or for Brisbane, Australia in 2032.
Known as Raygun, he was later mocked on social media with several questions raised about the Olympic qualification process.
In a television interview in September, he talked about being chased by cameras in Paris and how he dealt with the public’s reaction to his performance.
“That was really scary,” he said. “People are chasing me, what should I do? That really freaked me out. I’m nervous to be in public. It was a bit scary for a while.”
He apologized for everything but again defended his performance and said he was grateful for the support from others in the sport.
He also previously defended how he qualified for Paris, and repeated it on a TV programme.
“I have won the Oceania championship. It’s a live qualifier,” Gunn said. “There are nine judges from abroad. I knew my chances were slim once I qualified,” for the Olympics.
“People don’t understand about the competition and are just angry with my performance,” he added. “The conspiracy theory (about eligibility) is horrible and really annoying. People are now attacking our reputation and integrity. None of them are based on fact.”
Gunn’s performance was mocked online and on television, including on Jimmy Fallon’s late-night TV show.
In a Sydney radio interview yesterday, Gunn said he wouldn’t stop dancing completely.
“I still dance. But like in my living room with my partner,” he said. – AP
