Shivangi Sinha
When Rachael Gunn, better known as Raygun, went viral for her performance at the 2024 Olympic breaking competition, the intense speculation and criticism surrounding her performance also extended to her husband, Samuel Free. As her coach and mentor, Free had played an important role in introducing Gunn to the world of breaking, and she has credited him with being a steady and supportive presence throughout the turbulent period that followed the Olympics. Netflix’s ‘Untold: Raygun: Breaking Badly’ features an interview with Free for the first time. He gave his perspective on Gunn’s journey, the backlash and their experiences since the Olympic Games.
Sammy Free Decided to Coach Raygun for Her 2024 Olympics Performance
In 2008, Samuel “Sammy” Free was studying at Macquarie University when he met Rachael Gunn for the first time. By then, he already had nearly a decade of experience in breaking and encouraged Rachael to explore the scene. He had built a reputation under the name Sammy Sex, but was not very active. She has credited him with introducing her to Australia’s breaking community, saying she did not even know it existed until he brought her into it. In the years that followed, the two began dating and eventually competed in breaking competitions together. Sammy has said that when Rachael began her PhD, he was not surprised at all, as he had always seen her as an academic first and a dancer second.
In 2017, Sammy suffered an ACL tear that prevented him from continuing to dance competitively. However, when Rachael secured her place at the 2024 Olympics in 2023, he took on the role of her coach and mentor. He pushed her throughout her preparation. He spent hours with her in the gym, helping her build strength while also working with her on unconventional choreography. Sammy believed a routine incorporating Australian cultural references, including the kangaroo hop, would help her stand apart. He traveled with Rachael to Paris and admitted that they already knew she was not fully prepared. At that point, they simply hoped she could earn a single point in one of her rounds, but that did not happen.
Related
Sammy Free Prefers to Stay Away From the Spotlight These Days
Within hours, clips of Rachael Gunn’s Olympic performance had gone viral, and the attention soon extended to her husband, Sammy Free. As trolling, speculation and false accusations spread across social media, one theory even alleged that Sammy had somehow influenced or rigged the competition in his wife’s favor. The Australian Breaking Association and the Australian Olympic Committee both rejected such claims. Sammy and Rachael have been married since 2018, and he has remained by her side through the highs and lows that followed. He is a notably private person who has largely stayed out of the public spotlight since the controversy. He has said that his wife’s performance was truly splendid and her critics forgot to see the authenticity in it. His online presence mainly features older performances and choreography rather than any updates about his current life.
