Panic caused by Australian Olympic representative on the streets of Paris

BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — For Australian cross-country runner Rachael Gunn, it was first her polarizing performance at the Olympics, then the panic she experienced when she was chased through the streets of Paris.

The 37-year-old university lecturer from Sydney, whose birthday is on Monday, has stunned experts and casual onlookers alike with an unconventional routine-busting sport that includes imitating a kangaroo.

It was about to break He competed in the Olympics for the first time. And it could be a one-time event that doesn’t feature in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics or the 2032 Brisbane Olympics in Australia.

The person known as “Raygun” later became a laughing stock on social mediaThe Olympic qualifying process is also questioned in some posts.

In a television interview on Australia’s Channel 10 called The Project, he described being chased by cameras on the streets of Paris and how he coped with the backlash to his performance.

“It was really crazy,” he said in a rare public comment since the incident. “What do I do if people are chasing me? It really put me in a panic. I was nervous about being in public. It was pretty nerve-wracking for a while.”

He apologized for the confusion but still defended his performance, saying He said he was grateful for the support from others in the sports world.

“It’s really upsetting to hear these criticisms,” he said. “I’m so sorry for the backlash the community is experiencing, but I can’t control how people react. The energy and anger that people have has been quite alarming.

“While I went out and had fun, I took it really seriously. I worked my ass off to get ready for the Olympics and really did the best I could. I think my record shows that.”

He had previously argued How you qualified for Parisand repeated this on his television program.

“I won the Oceania championship. It was a direct qualifier,” Gunn said. “There were nine referees, all from abroad. I knew as soon as I got through the qualifiers for the Olympics that my chances were slim.”

“People didn’t understand the break and were just angry about my performance,” he added. “The conspiracy theories were horrific and it was really upsetting. People are now attacking our reputation and our integrity – none of it based on fact.”

One of the most critically acclaimed reactions to her performance was her skit on American comedian Jimmy Fallon’s late-night television show.

He said he was still “not in a position to watch this.”

Gunn said he is still coping after a month with the help he has received from therapy.

“I definitely have my ups and downs, my good days and my bad days,” she said. “It’s been amazing to see the positive response to my performance. I never thought I’d be able to connect with so many people in a positive way… but it’s definitely been tough at times. Luckily, I got some mental health support pretty quickly.”

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AP Paris Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games