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Profile - Cathy Freeman
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Catherine Freeman has been the outstanding athlete in Australia throughout the 1990s. She burst on the scene as a sixteen year old in late 1989 and was a surprise gold medallist in the 1990 Commonwealth Games 4x100m relay team. Since that time, Catherine Freeman has become one of the world's most popular athletes. In Australia, she is a legend in her own lifetime, a true Golden Girl. |
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Catherine Freeman first came to national attention as a fifteen year old in 1988 when she ran well in the Australian schools championships. She recorded good performances in the three sprints, hurdles and jumps. Australia did not have a great deal of sprinting talent at this time and, with the 1990 Commonwealth Games fast approaching, Catherine decided to try for selection in the Australian 4x100m relay team. In the Sydney trials she did well to place in the 100m, running her fastest time and was duly selected in the Auckland Games team. In a mild controversy, she and fellow Queenslander Monique Dunstan were not entered in the individual 100m event - but they combined well with Kerry Johnson and Kathy Sambell to win a surprise gold medal in the 4x100m relay team, beating the favoured English team. After the thrill of the Commonwealth Games, Freeman entered senior events at the 1990 National Championships and, in the absence of Kerry Johnson, won the 200m title to become the youngest ever winner. Earlier, she had been pipped at the post by another Auckland Golden Girl, Jane Flemming, in the 100m championship. Later in 1990 she represented Australia at the World Junior Games in Bulgaria. She could not make the final in the 100m but ran in the 200m and 4x100m relay finals. After more success in the 1991 Australian season, she was selected in the World Championship team but, below her best form, was not selected for the Australian relay. In 1992, Freeman began to concentrate seriously on the 400m event and gained a place in this event in the 1992 Olympic Games. Cathy was pipped in her second round heat and could not progress. She also ran in a strong Australian 4x400m relay team of Susan Andrews, Michelle Lock and Renee Poetschka that made the final. After these Games she won the silver medal for 200m at the World Junior Championships. Though improving over 400m, Catherine chose to run in only the 200m at the 1993 World Championships and achieved her best performance so far - by reaching the semi-finals. In 1994 she moved up a level to win both 200m and 400m at the Victoria Commonwealth Games. Her fast times gave her good world rankings in both events and it seemed Cathy had arrived as a star of world athletics. In 1995 she experienced a setback of sorts when she blew up in the final of the World Championships 400m, when expected to medal, and finished fourth. She put her disappointment behind her to set four national records over 400m in 1996 and challenge for Olympic Gold. Her 1996 season really started with a phenomenal 49.85 performance in Melbourne where she cracked the 50 second barrier for the first time. She repeated this effort on another six occasions through the season, culminating in her great 48.63 Commonwealth record in Atlanta where she won the silver medal. Freeman challenged France's Mari-Jose Perec in the final straight but could not match Perec's amazing 48.25 time. Perec herself acknowledged Freeman's terrific effort had pushed her to such a great time and went on to prove her class when she won the 200m later in the Games. Freeman went on to contest the 200m but she looked tired and could not get past the semi-finals. In the 4x400m she did not run in the heats due to fatigue and Australia had to run the injured and sick Renee Poetschka. An unfortunate accident in the relay heat meant that Freeman did not have to run the final. The team was an outsider to win a medal, at full strength. In 1997, with Marie-Jose Perec having a rest from the 400m, Catherine became the world's number one 400m runner and has been virtually unbeatable for the past three years. Though she missed the 1998 Commonwealth Games due to injury, she returned to win the World Championships 400m in 1999 and looked set to challenge for a fairytale gold medal in the Sydney Olympic Games.
She was the hottest of favourites in the 2000 Olympic Games with all of Australia cheering her on. Further pressure came when she was honoured with lighting the Olympic Cauldron at the Opening Ceremony. And there was added drama with the mysterious Marie-Jose Perec situation. Cathy handled the pressure in style and won a memorable Gold Medal for Australia. She became one of the most-loved athletes in the world and a legendary figure in Australia. In 2002, she returned from a long break to assist Australia to a surprise Gold Medal in the 4x400m Relay in the Commonwealth Games, though she did not compete as an individual. In 2003, she returned to individual competition, but was comprehensively defeated over 400m by Jana Pittman in an important domestic meet. Freeman went on to win the 2003 National Championship (Pittman did not run) but seemed to be struggling with motivation. She
later withdrew from individual competition at the Paris World
Championships, but said she would still run in the 4x400m Relay.
However, on 16 July 2003, Catherine Freeman withdrew from the World
Championships team and announced her retirement. She will be
missed.
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