Australian Olympic athlete Anna Meares says social media mockery of a breaker for her routine and clothing choice is “really disappointing”.
Rachael Gunn, 36, failed to score a single point with the judges as she lost all three of her round-robin matches in the competitive format of breakdancing 54-0 on Friday.
The university lecturer, nicknamed Raygun, wore a green and yellow Australian Olympic tracksuit while her rivals wore streetwear when breaking first became part of the Games.
Many social media users not only criticized her outfit, but also made fun of the way the Australian woman hopped around on stage like a kangaroo and sometimes stood on her head.
Gunn explained her performance this way: “I could never beat these girls in what they do best, which is the dynamics and the powerful movements. So I wanted to move differently, be artistic and creative. Because how many chances do you get in your life to do that on an international level?
“I was always the underdog and wanted to make my mark in a different way.”
Meares, a two-time Olympic cycling champion and chef de mission for the Australian team in Paris, said of the criticism: “I think what has happened on social media with trolls and keyboard warriors, and taking those comments and giving them airtime, is really disappointing.”
Meares said at a press conference on Saturday: “I absolutely love her courage. I love her character and I feel very disappointed for her that she is under fire.”
Responding to the negative comments on social media, Gunn said: “Don’t be afraid to be different, go out there and show yourself. You’ll never get anywhere that takes you.”
According to Meares, the criticism of Gunn was evidence of misogyny.
“In 2008, she was locked in a room crying because she was the only woman involved in a male-dominated sport. It took a lot of courage to persevere and fight for her chance to compete in a sport she loved,” Meares said.
Gunn appeared to agree with Meares, as she wondered whether male colleagues would be equally outraged by their clothing choices.
“I’m looking forward to there being just as much attention tomorrow on what the b-boys are wearing,” Gunn said Friday.
In breaking, female participants are called ‘b-girls’, while male participants are called ‘b-boys’.
Breaking, a street dance style that originated in New York in the 1970s, was announced as part of the Olympic program for Paris in 2020.
The event, which is designed to attract a younger audience to the Games, is not yet scheduled for Los Angeles in 2028.
