Cathy Freeman

Catherine Astrid Salome Freeman OAM (born 16 February 1973) be an Australian former sprinter, wey specialise insyd de 400 metres event. Ein personal best of 48.63 seconds currently dey rank am as de ninth-fastest woman of all time, set while na she fini second to Marie-José Pérec ein number-four time at de 1996 Olympics. She cam be de Olympic champion for de women's 400 metres at de 2000 Summer Olympics, at wich na she light de Olympic Flame.

Na Freeman be de first female Indigenous Australian make she cam be a Commonwealth Games gold medalist at age 16 insyd 1990. Na de year 1994 be ein breakthru season. At de 1994 Commonwealth Games insyd Canada, Freeman win gold insyd both de 200 m den 400 m. She sanso win de silver medal at de 1996 Olympics wey na she cam first at de 1997 World Championships insyd de 400 m event. Insyd 1998, Freeman take a break from running secof injury. She return from injury in form plus a first-place finish insyd de 400 m at de 1999 World Championships. She announce ein retirement from athletics insyd 2003.

Insyd 2007, she found de Cathy Freeman Foundation, wich change names twice (to Community Spirit Foundation den later to Murrup). She be of de Kuku-yalanji den Birri-gubba peoples.

 Career 

 Prior to 1987 
Na Cathy Freeman be successful insyd school athletics events. After 1987, na step poppie, Bruce Barber, coach am to various regional den national titles.

 1987–1989 
Insyd 1987, Freeman move go Kooralbyn International School wey na she coached professionally by Romanian Mike Danila, wey later cam be a key influence thru out ein career; he provide a strict training regime give de young athlete.

 Ein life matter 
Na dem born Freeman insyd 1973 at Slade Point, Mackay, Queensland, to Norman Freeman den Cecelia Barber. Na dem born Norman insyd Woorabinda of de Birri Gubba people; na dem born Cecelia on Palm Island insyd Queensland, wey she be of Kuku Yalanji heritage. Moreover, Freeman sanso get Syrian ancestry. Na dem raise Freeman den ein bros Gavin, Garth, den insyd Mackay den insyd oda parts of Queensland. She sanso get an older sister, Anne-Marie, wey na dem born insyd 1966 wey she die insyd 1990. Anne-Marie get cerebral palsy wey na she spend much of ein life insyd de Birribi care facility insyd Rockhampton.Cos I'm Free (AKA Cathy Freeman) Archived 13 January 2014 at the Wayback Machine, Transcript, Message Stick, ABC Television, 11 March 2006.

 Competition record 

 International competitions 
YearCompetitionVenuePositionEventResultsShe dey represent Australia1990Commonwealth GamesAuckland, New Zealand1st4 × 100 m relay43.87World Junior ChampionshipsPlovdiv, Bulgaria15th (sf)100 m11.87 (wind: -1.3 m/s)5th200 m23.61 (wind: +1.3 m/s)5th4 × 100 m relay45.011992Summer OlympicsBarcelona, Spain7th4 × 400 m relay3:26.42World Junior ChampionshipsSeoul, South Korea2nd200 m23.25 (wind: +0.3 m/s)6th4 × 400 m relay3:36.281994Commonwealth GamesVictoria Canada1st200 m22.251st400 m50.382nd4 × 100 m relay43.43IAAF Grand Prix FinalParis, France2nd400 m50.041995World ChampionshipsGothenburg, Sweden4th400 m50.603rd4 × 400 m relay3:25.881996Summer OlympicsAtlanta, United States2nd400 m48.63IAAF Grand Prix FinalMilan, Italy1st400 m49.601997World ChampionshipsAthens, Greece1st400 m49.771999World ChampionshipsSeville, Spain1st400 m49.676th4 × 400 m relay3:28.04World Indoor ChampionshipsMaebashi, Japan2nd4 × 400 m relay3:26.872000Summer OlympicsSydney, Australia6th200 m22.531st400 m49.115th4 × 400 m relay3:23.812002Commonwealth GamesManchester, Great Britain1st4 × 400 m relay3:25.63

 National championships 
1990Australian ChampionshipsMelbourne, Australia2nd100 m1990Australian ChampionshipsMelbourne, Australia3rd200 m1991Australian ChampionshipsSydney, Australia1st200 m1992Australian ChampionshipsAdelaide, Australia2nd200 m1992Australian ChampionshipsAdelaide, Australia3rd400 m1993Australian ChampionshipsQueensland, Australia2nd200 m1994Australian ChampionshipsSydney, Australia1st100 m1994Australian ChampionshipsSydney, Australia1st200 m1995Australian ChampionshipsSydney, Australia2nd200 m1995Australian ChampionshipsSydney, Australia1st400 m1996Australian ChampionshipsSydney, Australia1st100 m1996Australian ChampionshipsSydney, Australia1st200 m1997Australian ChampionshipsMelbourne, Australia2nd200 m1997Australian ChampionshipsMelbourne, Australia1st400 m1998Australian ChampionshipsMelbourne, Australia1st400 m1999Australian ChampionshipsMelbourne, Australia1st400 m2000Australian ChampionshipsSydney, Australia1st200 m2000Australian ChampionshipsSydney, Australia1st400 m2003Australian ChampionshipsBrisbane, Australia1st400 m

 Circuit performances 
2000Golden League 2000 – Exxon Mobil Bislett GamesOslo, Norway1st400 m2000Golden League 2000 – Herculis ZepterMonaco1st400 m2000Golden League 2000 – Meeting Gaz de France de ParisParis, France1st200 m2000Golden League 2000 – Memorial Van DammeBrussels, Belgium1st400 m2000Grand Prix 2000 – Athletissima 2000Lausanne, Switzerland1st400 m2000Grand Prix 2000 – CGU ClassicGateshead, Great Britain1st200 m2000Grand Prix 2000 – Melbourne Track ClassicMelbourne, Australia1st400 m2000Grand Prix 2000 – Tsiklitiria MeetingAthens, Greece1st400 m

 References 

 Read further 

 Freeman, Cathy (2007) Born to Run Melbourne, Penguin Books Australia.  ISBN 9780143302384

 McGregor, A. (1998) Cathy Freeman; A Journey Just Begun. Milsons Point, Random House Australia.  ISBN 0-09-183649-2
 White, L. (2013) "Cathy Freeman and Australia's Indigenous Heritage: A New Beginning for an Old Nation at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games", International Journal of Heritage Studies, Vol. 19, Issue 2, pp 153–170 ( ).
 White, L. (2010) "Gender, Race and Nation at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games: Mediated Images of Ian Thorpe and Cathy Freeman". In L. K. Fuller (ed.) Sexual Sports Rhetoric: Global and Universal Contexts. New York: Peter Lang, pp 185–200 ( ).
 White, L. (2008) "One Athlete, One Nation, Two Flags: Cathy Freeman and Australia's Search for Aboriginal Reconciliation", Sporting Traditions, Vol. 25, Issue 2, pp 1–19 ( ).

 External links 

 Cathy Freeman at the Sport Australia Hall of Fame 
 Cathy Freeman at the Australian Olympic Committee 
 Cathy Freeman at Commonwealth Games Australia
 Cathy Freeman at World Athletics 
 Cathy Freeman at Olympedia 
 Cathy Freeman at Estrella Sports Management
 The Cathy Freeman Foundation - supports Indigenous students to experience their full potential in school

Category:1973 births
Category:Human
Category:Sportspeople wey komot Mackay, Queensland
Category:Athletes wey komot Queensland
Category:Sportswomen wey komot Queensland
Category:Australian female sprinters
Category:Olympic athletes for Australia
Category:Olympic gold medalists for Australia
Category:Olympic silver medalists for Australia
Category:Indigenous Australian Olympians
Category:Indigenous Australian track den field athletes
Category:Olympic cauldron lighters
Category:Athletes (track den field) at de 1992 Summer Olympics
Category:Athletes (track den field) at de 1996 Summer Olympics
Category:Athletes (track den field) at de 2000 Summer Olympics
Category:Commonwealth Games gold medallists for Australia
Category:Commonwealth Games athletes for Australia
Category:Commonwealth Games silver medallists for Australia
Category:Athletes (track den field) at de 1990 Commonwealth Games
Category:Athletes (track den field) at de 1994 Commonwealth Games
Category:Athletes (track den field) at de 2002 Commonwealth Games
Category:World Athletics Championships athletes for Australia
Category:World Athletics Championships medalists
Category:Australian of the Year Award winners
Category:Laureus World Sports Awards winners
Category:Recipients of de Australian Sports Medal
Category:Recipients of de Medal of the Order of Australia
Category:Recipients of de Olympic Order
Category:Sport Australia Hall of Fame inductees
Category:Australian people of English descent
Category:Australian people of Syrian descent
Category:Sportspeople of Syrian descent
Category:Australian Bahá'ís
Category:Medalists at de 1996 Summer Olympics
Category:Medalists at de 2000 Summer Olympics
Category:Olympic gold medalists insyd athletics (track den field)
Category:Olympic silver medalists insyd athletics (track den field)
Category:World Athletics Indoor Championships medalists
Category:World Athletics Championships winners
Category:Olympic female sprinters
Category:Australian republicans
Category:Australian autobiographers
Category:Medallists at de 1990 Commonwealth Games
Category:Medallists at de 1994 Commonwealth Games
Category:Medallists at de 2002 Commonwealth Games
Category:Australian Athletics Championships winners
Category:21st-century Australian sportswomen
Category:Commonwealth Games gold medallists insyd athletics
Category:Commonwealth Games silver medallists insyd athletics