Olympic breakdancer Raygun (Rachael Gunn), whose performance at the 2024 Paris games was awarded zero points, has lost her job at Macquarie University in Sydney.
Gunn had been lecturing in media and cultural studies, and took a voluntary redundancy from the university’s Faculty of Arts in February.
She now tells the Sydney Morning Herald she had seen “the writing on the wall.”
“We need to have a serious conversation about higher education in this country,” Gunn, 38, told the Herald on Wednesday 29 April.
“I’m very worried for my colleagues. I don’t think that things are getting better for them.”
The Herald reports that Gunn’s redundancy was amidst extensive cuts to the arts department, which resulted in an inquiry, where vice chancellor Bruce Dowton said:
“A number of things were taken into account as we move towards proposing changes … funding model changes, regulatory environment, international student downturn and so on – but also the reality that the demand for courses in the Faculty of Arts has changed.”
In early 2026, the academic began an account on celebrity/identity platform Cameo, where she charges almost $70 for a personalised video for members who want to hear from her.
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Raygun stuns the world at Paris Olympic games 2024
Gunn’s performance in Paris captured the world’s attention for not scoring a single point. The routine went viral, and has been widely mocked for not being genuine breakdancing.
Gunn was trolled significantly about her dance, especially as it was revealed she had personal ties to the selection committee that chose her to represent Australia.
It should be noted that Gunn’s LinkedIn profile states she completed a PHD on the gender politics of Sydney’s breaking culture in 2017.
Undeterred by the backlash, Gunn has tried to capitalise on her viral moment, appearing in various social media campaigns.
In 2024, Gunn, wanting to protect her name, demanded $10,000 from a Sydney comedy club who intended to perform Raygun: the Musical.
Top image: Raygun on X/Getty