Cathy Freeman

Australian short-distance runner

Cathy Freeman, OAM (born 16 February 1973) is a retired Australian sprinter. She ran mostly in the 400 metres event. She became the Olympic champion for the women's 400 metres at the 2000 Summer Olympics.[1] She lit the Olympic Flame at the beginning of the 2000 games.[2] She has won several medals at the Commonwealth Games, the Olympics, and the IAAF World Championships. She retired from athletics in 2003.

Cathy Freeman

Medal record
Women’s Athletics
Representing  United States
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

Freeman was born in Slade Point, Mackay, Queensland. She is Aboriginal.[1] Her mother was born in the Manbarra community on Palm Island. Freeman was raised as a Bahá'í.[3][4][5]

In 1998, she was awarded Australian of the Year. In 2001, she was given both the World Sportswoman of the Year and the Medal of the Order of Australia.

References

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  1. 1.0 1.1 John Ashdown (11 January 2012). "50 stunning Olympic moments No9: Cathy Freeman wins gold for Australia". The Guardian.
  2. TorchRelay – Photos: Cathy Freeman lights the Olympic Flame Archived 2008-11-13 at the Wayback Machine. The Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad.
  3. Cos I'm Free (AKA Cathy Freeman). 10 March 2006. Message Stick. Program transcript.
  4. 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, 9 March 2006
  5. Born to Run (extract) Archived 2007-09-19 at the Wayback Machine Chapter 1 Running Free, Penguin Group (Australia)

Other websites

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  Media related to Cathy Freeman at Wikimedia Commons