Cathy Freeman: Difference between revisions

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Catherine Astrid Salome Freeman, OAM (known as Cathy Freeman) (born 16 February 1973) is an Australian Aboriginal sprinter who is particularly associated with the 400 metres race. She became the Olympic champion for 400 m in the 2000 Sydney games, at which she lit the Olympic Flame^[1]. Freeman was born in Slade Point, Mackay, Queensland, where the local athletics track is now named after her.

Career

Freeman began athletics at an early age. Her first coach was her stepfather, Bruce Barber. By her early teens she had a collection of regional and national titles, having competed in the 100 metres, 200 metres and high jump.^{[citation needed]}

In 1990, Freeman was chosen as a member of Australia's 4×100 m relay team for the 1990 Commonwealth Games in Auckland, New Zealand. The team won the gold medal, making Freeman the first ever Aboriginal Commonwealth Games gold medallist,^{[citation needed]} as well as one of the youngest, at 16 years old. She was then selected to represent Australia at the 1990 World Junior Championships in Athletics in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. There, she reached the semi-finals of the 100 m and placed fifth in the final of the 400 m.

Freeman competed in her second World Junior Championships in Seoul, South Korea. She competed only in the 200 m, winning the silver medal behind China's Hu Ling. Also in 1992, she travelled to her first Olympic Games, reaching the second round of her new speciality event; the 400 metres. At the 1993 World Championships in Athletics, Freeman competed in the 200 m, reaching the semi-finals.

1994 was Freeman's breakthrough season, when she entered into the world's elite for the first time. Competing at the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Canada, Freeman won gold in both the 200 m and 400 m. She also competed as a member of Australia's 4x100 m squad, winning the silver medal and as a member of the 4x400 m team, who finished first but were later disqualified. During the 1994 season, Freeman took 1.3 seconds from her 400 m personal best, achieving 50.04 seconds. She also set all-time personal bests in the 100 m (11.24) and 200 m (22.25).

Although a medal favourite at the 1995 World Championships in Athletics in Sweden, Freeman finished fourth.^{[citation needed]} She also reached the semi-finals of the 200 m.

Freeman made more progress during the 1996 season, setting many personal bests and Australian records. By this stage, she was the biggest challenger to France's Marie-José Pérec at the 1996 Olympics.^{[citation needed]} She eventually took the silver medal behind Pérec, in an Australian record of 48.63 seconds. This is still the sixth fastest time ever and the second fastest since 1985.^{[citation needed]} Pérec's winning time of 48.25 was an Olympic record and the third fastest ever.

In 1997, Freeman won the 400 m at the World Championships in Athens, with a time of 49.77 seconds. Her only loss in the 400 m that season was in Oslo where she injured her foot.^{[citation needed]}

Freeman took a break for the 1998 season, due to injury. Upon her return to the track in 1999, Freeman did not lose a single 400 m race, including at the World Championships.^{[citation needed]}

Her winning streak continued into the 2000 season, despite Pérec's return to the track. Freeman was the home favorite for the 400 m title at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, where she was expected to face-off with rival Pérec. This showdown never happened, as Pérec left the Games after an encounter with an Australian photographer.^{[citation needed]} Freeman won the Olympic title in a time of 49.13 seconds, becoming only the second Australian Aboriginal Olympic champion (the first was Nova Peris-Kneebone for field hockey in Atlanta).^{[citation needed]} After the race, Freeman took a victory lap, carrying both the Aboriginal and Australian flags. This was despite the fact that unofficial flags are banned at the Olympic Games and the Aboriginal flag, while recognized as official in Australia, is not a national flag, nor recognized by the International Olympic Committee.^{[citation needed]} Freeman also made the final of the 200 m, coming sixth.^{[citation needed]} In honour of her gold medal win in Sydney, she represented Oceania in carrying the Olympic flag at the opening ceremonies of the next Olympics, in Salt Lake City, joining Archbishop Desmond Tutu (Africa), John Glenn (The Americas), Kazuyoshi Funaki (Asia), Lech Wałęsa (Europe), Jean-Michel Cousteau (Environment), Jean-Claude Killy (Sport), and Steven Spielberg (Culture).^{[citation needed]}

Throughout her career, Freeman regularly competed in the Victorian Athletic League where she won two 400 m races at the Stawell Gift Carnival.^{[citation needed]}

Freeman did not compete during the 2001 season. In 2002, she returned to the track to compete as a member of Australia's victorious 4x400 m relay team at the 2002 Commonwealth Games.^{[citation needed]}

Freeman announced her retirement in 2003.^[2]

Since retiring from athletics Freeman has become involved in a range of community and charitable activities. Cathy is also an Ambassador of the Australian Indigenous Education Foundation (www.aief.com.au)

i once hunted something down with my remakable boong speed... i niga boltowed the finish line and the track cought on fire.. bong g=boong boong

Personal bests

Event	Time	Wind	Place	Date
100 m	11.24	+1.1	Brisbane, Australia	5 February 1994
200 m	22.25	+1.3	Victoria, British Columbia, Canada	26 August 1994
300 m	36.42	-	Mexico City, Mexico	3 May 2003
400 m	48.63	-	Atlanta, Georgia, USA	29 July 1996

Awards

Australian of the Year 1998
In 2001, Freeman received the Olympic Order from Juan Antonio Samaranch.
Laureus named Freeman Sportswoman of the Year in 2001
Arthur Ashe Courage Award 2001
Order Of Australia-Medal (OAM)
The Deadlys 2003 - Female Sportsperson of the Year

Year	Tournament	Venue	Result	Event
1990	Australian Championships	Melbourne, Australia	2nd	100 m
1990	Australian Championships	Melbourne, Australia	1st	200 m
1990	Commonwealth Games	Auckland, New Zealand	1st	4x100 m Relay
1990	World Junior Championships	Plovdiv, Bulgaria	5th	4x100 m Relay
1990	World Junior Championships	Plovdiv, Bulgaria	5th	200 m
1991	Australian Championships	Sydney, Australia	1st	200 m
1992	1992 Summer Olympics	Barcelona, Spain	7th	4x400 m Relay
1992	Australian Championships	Adelaide, Australia	2nd	200 m
1992	Australian Championships	Adelaide, Australia	3rd	400 m
1992	World junior Championships	Seoul, Korea	6th	4x400 m Relay
1992	World Junior Championships	Seoul, Korea	2nd	200 m
1993	Australian Championships	Queensland, Australia	2nd	200 m
1994	Australian Championships	Sydney, Australia	1st	100 m
1994	Australian Championships	Sydney, Australia	1st	200 m
1994	Commonwealth Games	Victoria, British Columbia	2nd	4x100 m Relay
1994	Commonwealth Games	Victoria, British Columbia	1st	200 m
1994	Commonwealth Games	Victoria, British Columbia	1st	400 m
1994	IAAF Grand Prix Final	Paris, France	2nd	400 m
1995	Australian Championships	Sydney, Australia	2nd	200 m
1995	Australian Championships	Sydney, Australia	1st	400 m
1995	World Championships	Gothenburg, Sweden	4th	400 m
1995	World Championships	Gothenburg, Sweden	3rd	4x400 m Relay
1996	1996 Summer Olympics	Atlanta, Georgia	2nd	400 m
1996	Australian Championships	Sydney, Australia	1st	100 m
1996	Australian Championships	Sydney, Australia	1st	200 m
1996	IAAF Grand Prix Final	Milan, Italy	1st	400 m
1997	Australian Championships	Melbourne, Australia	2nd	200 m
1997	Australian Championships	Melbourne, Australia	1st	400 m
1997	World Championships	Athens, Greece	1st	400 m
1998	Australian Championships	Melbourne, Australia	2nd
1999	Australian Championships	Melbourne, Australia	1st	400 m
1999	World Championships	Sevilla, Spain	1st	400 m
1999	World Championships	Sevilla, Spain	6th	4x100 m Relay
1999	World Indoor Championships	Maebashi, Japan	2nd	400 m
2000	2000 Summer Olympics	Sydney, Australia	1st	400 m
2000	2000 Summer Olympics	Sydney, Australia	7th	200 m
2000	2000 Summer Olympics	Sydney, Australia	5th	4x400 m Relay
2000	Australian Championships	Sydney, Australia	1st	200 m
2000	Australian Championships	Sydney, Australia	1st	400 m
2000	Golden League 2000 - Exxon Mobil Bislett Games	Oslo, Norway	1st	400 m
2000	Golden League 2000 - Herculis Zepter	Monaco	1st	400 m
2000	Golden League 2000 - Meeting Gaz de France de Paris	Paris, France	1st	200 m
2000	Golden League 2000 - Memorial Van Damme	Brussels, Belgium	1st	400 m
2000	Grand Prix 2000 - Athletissima 2000	Lausanne, Switzerland	1st	400 m
2000	Grand Prix 2000 - CGU Classic	Gateshead, Great Britain	1st	200 m
2000	Grand Prix 2000 - Melbourne Track Classic	Melbourne, Australia	1st	400 m
2000	Grand Prix 2000 - Tsiklitiria Meeting	Athens, Greece	1st	400 m
2002	Commonwealth Games	Manchester, Great Britain	1st	4x400 m Relay
2003	Australian Championships	Brisbane, Australia	1st	400 m

References

^ TorchRelay - Photos: Cathy Freeman lights the Olympic Flame
^ Johnson, Len (16 July 2003). "Cathy Freeman retires". theage.com.au. Melbourne. Retrieved 4 January 2010.

External links

Template:Footer Commonwealth Champions 400 m Women

Template:Footer Australia NC 100 m Women

Awards and achievements
Preceded by Dr. Peter C. Doherty	Australian of the Year 1998	Succeeded by Mark Taylor
Preceded by Marion Jones	World Sportswoman of the Year 2001	Succeeded by Jennifer Capriati
Olympic Games
Preceded by Muhammad Ali	Final Summer Olympic Torchbearer Sydney 2000	Succeeded by Nikolaos Kaklamanakis

[1] TorchRelay - Photos: Cathy Freeman lights the Olympic Flame

[2] Johnson, Len (16 July 2003). "Cathy Freeman retires". theage.com.au. Melbourne. Retrieved 4 January 2010.

[1]

[2]

@@ Line 47: / Line 47: @@
 Since retiring from athletics Freeman has become involved in a range of community and charitable activities. Cathy is also an Ambassador of the Australian Indigenous Education Foundation (www.aief.com.au)
+i once hunted something down with my remakable boong speed... i niga boltowed the finish line and the track cought on fire.. bong g=boong boong
-==Personal life==
-Freeman was born at Slade Point, [[Mackay, Queensland]]. She and her brothers Gavin, Garth and Norman (who died after a motor vehicle accident on 16 September 2008) <ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,24359385-952,00.html|title=Cathy Freeman's brother killed in car crash|date=17 September 2008|work=[[The Courier-Mail]]|accessdate=17 September 2008 | first=Peter | last=Michael}}</ref>
-were raised there and in other parts of [[Queensland]]. She also had a sister named Anne-Marie (1966–1990) who suffered from [[cerebral palsy]] and spent much of her life in a home for the disabled. Freeman attended several schools, but was mostly educated at [[Fairholme College]], in [[Toowoomba]].{{Citation needed|date=July 2010}} Her parents separated when she was at a young age and her mother re-married when Freeman was nine.{{Citation needed|date=July 2010}} Freeman has described how she has been influenced by early experiences with racism and also by her [[Bahá'í Faith|Bahá'í faith]].<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/message/tv/ms/s1584631.htm ''Cos I'm Free (AKA Cathy Freeman)'' Transcript of Program]</ref> Freeman was raised a Baha'i, and says of her faith, "I'm not a devout Baha'i but I like the prayers and I appreciate their values about the equality of all human kind".<ref>[http://www.theage.com.au/news/tv--radio/the-love-and-pain-that-inspire-cathy/2006/03/08/1141701518668.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1 The love and pain that inspire Cathy, Top athlete may journey from the winner's podium to the Academy Awards] by Michael Dwyer, ''The Age'', March 9, 2006</ref><ref>[http://www.penguin.com.au/lookinside/spotlight.cfm?SBN=9780143302384&page=extract Born to Run (extract)] Chapter 1 Running Free, Penguin Group (Australia)</ref>
-Freeman had a long-term romantic relationship with Nic Bideau, her manager, that ended in acrimony and legal wranglings over Freeman's endorsement earnings.<ref>[http://smh.com.au/news/commentary/mottrams-manipulator/2006/03/21/1142703363720.html Bideau's methods are make or break] - by [[Raelene Boyle]] - publisher: [[Sydney Morning Herald|SMH]] (22 March 2006)</ref>
-Freeman married Sandy Bodecker, a [[Nike, Inc.|Nike]] executive, in 1999. After her success in Sydney she took an extended break from the track to nurse Bodecker through a bout of [[cancer]]. She announced their separation in February 2003. Freeman also dated actor [[Joel Edgerton]] for a period of time after her retirement.
-In October 2006 Freeman announced her engagement to Melbourne stockbroker James Murch.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,20567247-421,00.html|title=Cathy Freeman to wed again|last=Sheahan|first=Kate|coauthors=Gullan, Scott|date=12 October 2006|work=[[news.com.au]]|accessdate=22 July 2008}}</ref> They married at Spray Farm on the [[Bellarine Peninsula]] on 11 April 2009.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/national/sprinter-freeman-walks-down-the-aisle-20090412-a3pk.html|title=Sprinter Freeman walks down the aisle|date=12 April 2009|work=[[smh.com.au]]|accessdate=12 April 2009}}</ref>
-In 2008 Freeman participated in ''[[Who Do You Think You Are? (Australian TV series)|Who Do You Think You Are?]]'' and discovered that she has Chinese and English heritage.<ref>[http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/lifestyle/news/cathys-family-secrets/story-e6frf00r-1111115304674 Cathy's family secrets] - publisher: [[The Daily Telegraph]] (13 January 2008)</ref>
-On her right arm, the side closest to the spectators on an athletics track, she had the words "Cos I'm Free" tattoed mid-way between her shoulder and elbow.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/sport/sporting-tattoos/2006/11/11/1162661948895.html|title=Sporting tattoos|last=Coulter|first=Michael|date=12 November 2006|publisher=The Age|accessdate=21 February 2010 | location=Melbourne}}</ref>
 ==Personal bests==