Australia’s Olympians returned home Wednesday and mounted a resolute defence of their breakdancing colleague against “awful” critics, comics and keyboard warriors.
The athletes, fresh from a national record 53 Olympic medal trawl, were asked about absent colleague b-girl Rachael “Raygun” Gunn.
After winning no votes from Paris judges, 36-year-old Gunn has been mocked and ridiculed for her allegedly lacklustre breakdancing skills.
Commentators have questioned how Gunn qualified for the games, with some of her more ill-tempered critics calling her a national embarrassment.
Her kangaroo-imitating moves and slightly passe green Australian Olympic track suit have been parodied by late-night US television host Jimmy Fallon.
In one of the more lighthearted jibes about Gunn’s performance, New Zealand comedian Jemaine Clement joked: “I’ve been to Australia. That was their best dancer.”
But double gold-winning canoeist Jess Fox was among those to rush to Gunn’s defence Wednesday.
“It is devastating for her,” Fox told local media in Sydney.
“To see the toll… she is human and it is massive what she has been through over the last week. She has definitely been feeling it. There is a human behind all that, and people are so quick to be awful. She doesn’t deserve that,” Fox said.
Before the games Gunn — a university researcher with a doctorate in cultural studies — had appeared at dance events for children, detailing her improbable path to Paris, promoting breaking and encouraging a new generation to pursue Olympic-sized dreams.
Swimmer Zac Stubblety-Cook — who won silver and bronze — at the Games, said criticism targeting Gunn was “disappointing”, according to the Sydney Morning Herald, while cyclist Matthew Glaetzer said no Olympian “should be spoken negatively about”.
Prime Minster Anthony Albanese also praised her effort and commitment.
“That she had a crack and the Olympics is all about participation and having a go, doing your best and representing your country. She did all of that,” Albanese told Nova radio.
“I think some of the criticism that she’s copped — there’s been a bit of a pile on — which I think is really unfair. Good on her for having a go and wearing a trackie while you’re doing it. I mean, how Australian is that?”
