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Catherine (Cathy) Freeman was born in
Mackay in Queensland. She won her first gold medal at a school
athletics championship when she was eight years old. Cathy Freeman's
stepfather, Bruce Barber, coached her until 1989. Cathy Freeman's
family was poor and, like many Australian Aboriginals, suffered
discrimination from white Australians. Once, after winning many
races at a primary school competition, Cathy, who wasn't given
a trophy, had to watch as the white girls she had beaten received
trophies. Her family worked hard to raise the money Cathy needed
to take her to competitions in Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne.
The family moved to Brisbane in 1989 to be near Cathy, who had
won a scholarship to Kooralbyn International School where she
was being professionally coached by Mike Danila. In 1990 Cathy
moved to Melbourne.
Achievements
At the 1990 Commonwealth Games in Auckland, New Zealand, Cathy
won a gold medal as a member of the 4 x 100 metres relay team.
With this medal win, she became the first female Australian Aboriginal
to win a gold medal at an international athletics event.
Cathy Freeman won the 200 metres and the 400 metres at the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Canada. After her first win, Cathy ran a lap of honour carrying the Aboriginal flag and the Australian flag. The chief of the Australian team criticised her, and said she must not do it again. After her second win, Cathy defiantly carried both flags around the track. The Australian public loved it, with three out of four agreeing with her action.
In 1997, at the World Athletic Championships in Athens, Greece, Cathy won the 400 metres sprint.
At the World Athletic Championships in 1999 in Seville, Spain, Cathy successfully defended her 400 metres sprint title.
Olympic Highlights
Barcelona 1992 In 1992 Cathy Freeman was chosen to compete at
the Barcelona Olympics. Although she did not make it to the finals
of her event, the 400 metres, she had become the first Australian
Aboriginal to represent Australia at an Olympics.
Atlanta Olympics
1996
Cathy's main rival at the Atlanta Olympics was Marie-Jose Perec
of France. In an exciting race in which Freeman led for much of
the distance, Perec closed the gap and passed Cathy in the last
80 metres. Cathy Freeman's time of 48.63 seconds was a personal
best and she won a silver medal.
Sydney Olympics
2000
Cathy had
the honour of lighting the Olympic flame at these games and won
the 400 metres.
In 2003 she was in training for the World Championships and hoped to represent Australia at the Athens Olympics in 2004.
Retirement
However, on 15 July 2003 Cathy Freeman announced her retirement from competitive running.
On 15 March 2006, she was one of the final runners in the Queen's Baton Relay, bringing the baton into the MCG at the Opening Ceremony of the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Click here for the Cathy
Freeman Official website http://www.cathyfreeman.com.au/
Acknowledge this source in your bibliography
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Cathy Freeman
(2007). [Online], Available: www.kidcyber.com.au
updated January 2007