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'''Catherine Astrid Salome Freeman''', [[Order of Australia|OAM]] (known as '''Cathy Freeman''') (born 16 February 1973) is an Australian [[athletics (track and field)|sprinter]] who is particularly associated with the 400 metres race. She became the Olympic champion for 400m in the 2000 Sydney games, at which she lit the [[Olympic Flame]]<ref>[http://torchrelay.beijing2008.cn/en/archives/modern/2000/headlines/n214035952.shtml TorchRelay - Photos: Cathy Freeman lights the Olympic Flame]</ref>. Freeman was born in Slade Point, [[Mackay, Queensland]], where the local athletics track is named after her.
'''Catherine Astrid Salome Freeman''', [[Order of Australia|OAM]] (known as '''Cathy Freeman''') (born 16 February 1973) is an Australian [[athletics (track and field)|sprinter]] who is particularly associated with the 400 metres race. She became the Olympic champion for 400m in the 2000 Sydney games, at which she lit the [[Olympic Flame]]<ref>[http://torchrelay.beijing2008.cn/en/archives/modern/2000/headlines/n214035952.shtml TorchRelay - Photos: Cathy Freeman lights the Olympic Flame]</ref>. Freeman was born in Slade Point, [[Mackay, Queensland]], where the local athletics track is named after her.

== Career ==

Freeman began athletics at a young age, competing along with her brothers Garth and Norman. Their first coach was their stepfather, Bruce. By their early teens, both{{Who|date=March 2009}} had a collection of regional and{{Clarify me|date=March 2009}} titles, with Cathy competing in the [[100 metres]], [[200 metres]] and [[high jump]].
In 1990, Freeman was chosen as a member of Australia's 4×100m relay team for the [[1990 Commonwealth Games]] in [[Auckland]], New Zealand. The team won the gold medal, making Freeman the first ever [[Australian Aborigines|Aboriginal]] Commonwealth Games gold medallist, 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 200 m.

Freeman competed in her second [[1992 World Junior Championships in Athletics|World Junior Championships]] in [[Seoul]], South Korea. She competed only in the 200m, winning the silver medal behind China's Hu Ling. Also in 1992, she travelled to her [[1992 Summer Olympics|first Olympic Games]], reaching the second round of her new speciality event; the [[400 metres]]. For the [[1993 World Championships in Athletics]], Freeman returned to the 200m, 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 200m and 400m. She also competed as a member of Australia's 4x100m squad, winning the silver medal and as a member of the 4x400m team, who finished first but were later disqualified. During the 1994 season, Freeman took 1.3 seconds from her 400m personal best, achieving 50.04 seconds. She also set all-time personal bests in the 100m (11.24) and 200m (22.25).

As one of the favourites for a medal at the [[1995 World Championships in Athletics]] in Sweden, Freeman was disappointed to finish fourth. She also reached the semi-finals of the 200m.

Freeman made more progress during the 1996 season, setting many personal bests and Australian records. This meant that she had emerged as the biggest challenger to [[France|France's]] [[Marie-José Pérec]] at the [[1996 Summer Olympic Games|1996 Olympics]]. 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. Pérec's winning time of 48.25 was an Olympic record and the third fastest ever.

Pérec chose to spend the 1997 season concentrating on 400m, so Freeman became the favourite for that year's [[1997 World Championships in Athletics|World Championships]] in [[Athens]]. Freeman lived up to this, winning the World title in 49.77 seconds. In fact, Freeman's only loss at 400 m, this season came in [[Oslo]] when injuring her foot.

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 400m race, including at the [[1999 World Championships in Athletics|World Championships]], where she defended her World title.

Her win streak continued into the 2000 season, despite Marie-José Pérec's return to the track. Freeman was the home favourite for the 400m title at the [[2000 Summer Olympics|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. Freeman won the Olympic title in a time of 49.11 seconds, becoming only the second Australian Aboriginal Olympic champion (the first was [[Nova Peris-Kneebone]] for field hockey in Atlanta). After the race, Freeman took a victory lap, carrying both the [[Australian Aboriginal flag|Aboriginal]] and Australian flags. This was despite the fact that unofficial flags are banned at the Olympic Games and the Aboriginal flag is not an official flag. Freeman also made the final of the 200 m, finishing sixth, after Marion Jones was disqualified. In honor of her gold medal win in Sydney, she represented Oceania in carrying the Olympic flag at the opening ceremonies of the [[2002 Winter Olympics|next Olympics]], in [[Salt Lake City, Utah|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)<ref>[http://www.olympic.org/common/asp/launchvideo.asp?name=2002w_opening_cer_high.wmv Opening Ceremony - Salt Lake City 2002]</ref><ref>[http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/feb2002/2002-02-11-01.asp Cousteau Represents Environment at Winter Olympics<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>

She regularly competed in the [[Victorian Athletic League]] where she won two 400m races at the [[Stawell gift]].

After her Olympic triumph, Freeman chose to take a break from the track, not competing during the 2001 season. During 2002, Freeman returned to the track to compete as a member of Australia's victorious 4x400m relay team at the [[2002 Commonwealth Games]].

Freeman announced her retirement in 2004.


==Personal life==
==Personal life==

Revision as of 01:56, 13 March 2009

Cathy Freeman

Medal record
Women’s Athletics
Representing  Australia
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2000 Sydney 400 m
Silver medal – second place 1996 Atlanta 400 m
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 1997 Athens 400 m
Gold medal – first place 1999 Seville 400 m
Bronze medal – third place 1995 Gothenburg 4 × 400 m relay
Commonwealth Games
Gold medal – first place 1990 Auckland 4 × 100 m
Gold medal – first place 1994 Victoria 200 m
Gold medal – first place 1994 Victoria 400 m
Gold medal – first place 2002 Manchester 4 × 400 m
Silver medal – second place 1994 Victoria 4 × 100 m

Catherine Astrid Salome Freeman, OAM (known as Cathy Freeman) (born 16 February 1973) is an Australian sprinter who is particularly associated with the 400 metres race. She became the Olympic champion for 400m 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 named after her.

Career

Freeman began athletics at a young age, competing along with her brothers Garth and Norman. Their first coach was their stepfather, Bruce. By their early teens, both[who?] had a collection of regional and[clarification needed] titles, with Cathy competing in the 100 metres, 200 metres and high jump. In 1990, Freeman was chosen as a member of Australia's 4×100m 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, 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 200 m.

Freeman competed in her second World Junior Championships in Seoul, South Korea. She competed only in the 200m, 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. For the 1993 World Championships in Athletics, Freeman returned to the 200m, 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 200m and 400m. She also competed as a member of Australia's 4x100m squad, winning the silver medal and as a member of the 4x400m team, who finished first but were later disqualified. During the 1994 season, Freeman took 1.3 seconds from her 400m personal best, achieving 50.04 seconds. She also set all-time personal bests in the 100m (11.24) and 200m (22.25).

As one of the favourites for a medal at the 1995 World Championships in Athletics in Sweden, Freeman was disappointed to finish fourth. She also reached the semi-finals of the 200m.

Freeman made more progress during the 1996 season, setting many personal bests and Australian records. This meant that she had emerged as the biggest challenger to France's Marie-José Pérec at the 1996 Olympics. 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. Pérec's winning time of 48.25 was an Olympic record and the third fastest ever.

Pérec chose to spend the 1997 season concentrating on 400m, so Freeman became the favourite for that year's World Championships in Athens. Freeman lived up to this, winning the World title in 49.77 seconds. In fact, Freeman's only loss at 400 m, this season came in Oslo when injuring her foot.

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 400m race, including at the World Championships, where she defended her World title.

Her win streak continued into the 2000 season, despite Marie-José Pérec's return to the track. Freeman was the home favourite for the 400m 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. Freeman won the Olympic title in a time of 49.11 seconds, becoming only the second Australian Aboriginal Olympic champion (the first was Nova Peris-Kneebone for field hockey in Atlanta). 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 is not an official flag. Freeman also made the final of the 200 m, finishing sixth, after Marion Jones was disqualified. In honor 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)[2][3]

She regularly competed in the Victorian Athletic League where she won two 400m races at the Stawell gift.

After her Olympic triumph, Freeman chose to take a break from the track, not competing during the 2001 season. During 2002, Freeman returned to the track to compete as a member of Australia's victorious 4x400m relay team at the 2002 Commonwealth Games.

Freeman announced her retirement in 2004.

Personal life

Freeman was born in Mackay, Queensland. She and her brothers Gavin, Garth and Norman (who died after a motor vehicle accident on 16 September, 2008) [4] were raised there and in other parts of Queensland. She also had a sister Anne-Marie (1966–1990) who suffered from cerebral palsy and spent much of her life in a home for the disabled. Freeman was educated in a number of schools but spent most of her time educated at the Fairholme College, in Toowoomba which was a very strict boarding school. Her parents separated when she was at a young age and her mother re-married when Cathy was nine, to a man named Bruce. Freeman has mentioned, in her book and documentary, how her early experiences with racism and faith as a Bahá'í, have influenced her [5]. 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". [6][7]

Freeman had a long-term romantic relationship with Nic Bideau, her manager, that ended in acrimony and legal wranglings over Freeman's endorsement earnings. [8] Freeman married Sandy Bodecker, a 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. [9]

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

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 IAAF World Championships Gothenburg, Sweden 4th 400 m
1995 IAAF 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 IAAF World Championships Athens, Greece 1st 400 m
1998 Australian Championships Melbourne, Australia 2nd
1999 Australian Championships Melbourne, Australia 1st 400 m
1999 IAAF World Championships Sevilla, Spain 1st 400 m
1999 IAAF World Championships Sevilla, Spain 6th 4x100 m Relay
1999 IAAF 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

  1. ^ TorchRelay - Photos: Cathy Freeman lights the Olympic Flame
  2. ^ Opening Ceremony - Salt Lake City 2002
  3. ^ Cousteau Represents Environment at Winter Olympics
  4. ^ "Cathy Freeman's brother killed in car crash". The Courier-Mail. 2008-09-17. Retrieved 2008-09-17.
  5. ^ Cos I'm Free (AKA Cathy Freeman) Transcript of Program
  6. ^ 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
  7. ^ Born to Run (extract) Chapter 1 Running Free, Penguin Group (Australia)
  8. ^ Bideau's methods are make or break - by Raelene Boyle - publisher: SMH (22 March 2006)
  9. ^ Sheahan, Kate (2006-10-12). "Cathy Freeman to wed again". news.com.au. Retrieved 2008-07-22. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)

Further reading

  • McGreggor, A. (1998) Cathy Freeman; A Journey Just Begun. Milsons Point, Random House Australia. ISBN 0-09-183647-2.



Awards and achievements
Preceded by Australian of the Year
1998 		Succeeded by
Preceded by World Sportswoman of the Year
2001 		Succeeded by
Sporting positions
Preceded by Final Summer Olympic Torchbearer
Cathy Freeman
Sydney 2000 		Succeeded by
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