Odd Anderson/AFP via Getty Images; Rebecca Zisser/BI
Gunn did win her qualifier fair and square, and she’s been an established breaker in the Australian community for years. But the memery around Gunn and her near-instant villain status fit the narrative: Only a woman who had conned her way into the Olympics could have performed at the level the memes made it seem.
Memes, as NBC reported in 2019, can dehumanize their subjects. Even when juxtaposed against reasonable, good-faith criticism, the fact that the jokes came first can lend levity to what are very serious allegations about not only Gunn, but the sporting allegations that supported her competition in the Olympics.
Ultimately, Gunn has become the definitive story of breaking’s debut at the Olympics, the fervor around her augmented by the conspicuous nature of the event itself. The sport won’t appear again at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics (a decision made prior to the Paris games), but that doesn’t mean it’s gone forever — perhaps it’ll get another shot at the Brisbane games in 2032, back on Raygun’s home turf.
And as for Gunn herself? In a video posted to Instagram Thursday, the athlete said she was taking a pre-planned holiday in Europe. Athletic organizations, including AUSBreaking and the Australian Olympic Committee, have backed debunking the virulent claims about her breakdancing career.
For now, it’s unclear what the future of that career will hold. But the internet moves on quickly — and hopefully, Raygun’s status as a conspiracy figure and internet villain will too.