Australian Breaking Association president Lowe Napalan, who also served as head coach, said administrative responsibilities tied to Australia’s Olympic campaign prevented him from dedicating significant time to her training, the Daily Mail reported.
“I was doing a lot more administrative work. In terms of Raygun’s training specifically, I was only there assisting a handful of times,” Napalan said, estimating he attended fewer than 10 sessions.
He also revealed he had little contact with Gunn in the final months before the Games and did not see her completed routine until shortly before she competed.
In the episode, Napalan says he was surprised by what he saw and struggled to hide his reaction while watching from side-stage during the performance.
Rachael “Raygun” Gunn has opened up about her widely criticised appearance at the Paris Olympics in a Netflix documentary. Photo / Getty Images
Much of Gunn’s training was overseen by her husband, fellow breaker Samuel Free.
After the Olympics, both became the focus of online scrutiny, with critics questioning their qualifications and circulating conspiracy theories alleging they had manipulated the qualification process, the Daily Mail reported. The couple strongly deny those claims in the documentary.
Gunn said she recognised before the Games that she lacked the technical ability to challenge the world’s leading breakers. However, she said withdrawing was never seriously considered because she felt she would regret not taking the opportunity.
“I don’t like to have regrets and I think that I knew deep down if I walked away, I would have regretted it more,” she said.
Despite the backlash, Gunn said she remains committed to breakdancing and intends to continue participating in the sport.