Aussie breakdancer Raygun retires from competitions after backlash

Rachael "Raygun" Gunn, 37, announced that she will be retiring from competitive breakdancing.

The Australian breakdancer, who became an internet meme after performing moves, such as a kangaroo hop and the sprinkler during the Olympics, said she wanted to keep competing, but it seems "really difficult" for her to do now as the backlash was so "upsetting".

"I just didn’t have any control over how people saw me or who I was," she told Australia's 2DayFM "The Jimmy and Nath Show" on Nov. 6.

“I think the level of scrutiny that’s going to be there, and people will be filming it, and it will go online."

The breakdancer said she would still be breaking, but no longer competitively.

"Yeah, I mean I still dance, and I still break. But, you know, that’s like in my living room with my partner," Gunn said.

Online backlash

Gunn failed to get on the scoreboard in all three of her competition rounds during the Paris Olympics at the Place de la Concorde.

Many accused her soon after of manipulating the selection process to represent Australia at the Olympics.

An online petition demanding an apology from her was also created.

Olympic officials condemned such actions and defended Gunn, with Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) chief executive Matt Carroll calling the petition "vexatious, misleading and bullying".

Top image via @raygun_aus/Instagram