Cathy Freeman (16 February 1973 - ) - SPORTSPERSON

Introduction

Catherine Astrid Salome "Cathy" Freeman, OAM (born 16 February 1973) at Slade Point, Mackay, Queensland, to Norman Freeman and Cecelia. She and her brothers Gavin, Garth and Norman (who died after a motor vehicle accident on 16 September 2008) were raised there and in other parts of Queensland. She also had a sister named Anne-Marie (1966–1990) who suffered from cerebral palsy and spent much of her life in a home for the disabled.  

Cathy is a former Australian sprinter, who specialised in the 400 metres event. Her personal best of 48.63 currently ranks her as the sixth fastest woman of all time, set while finishing second to Marie-Jose Perec's number three time at the 1996 Olympics. She became the Olympic champion for the women's 400 metres at the 2000 Summer Olympics, at which she lit the Olympic Flame. Freeman was the first ever Aboriginal Commonwealth Games gold medalist at age 16 in 1990. (Source: Wikipedia)

(Source: Sports Card World)

Freeman began athletics at a very young age. Her first coach was her stepfather, Bruce Barber. By her early teens she had a collection of regional and national titles, having competed in the 100 metres, 200 metres, high jump and long jump.

In 1987, Freeman moved on to Kooralbyn International School to be coached professionally by Romanian Mike Danila, who became her first real coach and later a key influence throughout her career; he provided a strict training regime for the young athlete.

In 1988, she was awarded a scholarship to an exclusive girls' school, Fairholme College in Toowoomba. In a competition in 1989, Freeman ran 11.67s in the 100 metres and Danila began to think about entering her in the Commonwealth Games Trials in Sydney.

In 1990, Freeman was chosen as a member of Australia's 4 × 100 m 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 moved to Melbourne in 1990 after the Auckland Commonwealth Games. Shortly after moving to Melbourne Nic Bideau, her manager, introduced Freeman to athletics coach Peter Fortune, who would become Freeman's coach for the rest of her career. 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 400 m.

1994 was her breakthrough season. At the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Canada, Freeman won gold in both the 200 m and 400 m. She also won the silver medal in the 1996 Olympics and came first at the 1997 World Championships, both in the 400 m event. 1998 saw Freeman taking a break from running due to injury. She returned to form with a first place in the 400 m at the 1999 World Championships. She announced her retirement from athletics in 2003.
(Source: Wikipedia)


In Summary:

1990 Commonwealth Games, Auckland, New Zealand - Gold 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.
1991 awarded Young Australian of the Year
1992 Olympic Games Barcelona, Spain - Cathy Freeman become the first Australian Aboriginal to represent Australia at an Olympics
1994 Commonwealth Games, Victoria, Canada – Gold in the 200m and 400m.
1996 Olympic Games Atlanta, USA – silver medal and personal best 48.63 seconds.
1997 World Athletic Championships, Athens, Greece – gold 400m.
1998 awarded Australian of the Year
1999 World Athletic Championships Seville, Spain – Gold 400m.
2000 Olympic Games - Sydney - Gold 400m
(Source: Victoria University)

Education:

Cathy attended several schools but was mostly educated at Fairholme College, Toowoomba.

Cathy did not enjoy school and embraced every opportunity to get out of class.

Cathy attended pirmary school in Mackay and high school in Coppabella until 1986 when she received a scholarship to board at Fairholme College.
After Fairholme College, Cathy spent eighteen months at Kooralbyn International School.

After moving to Melbourne, Cathy enrolled in an Australian history and politics course and whilst not committeed she enjoyed learning about the history of colonisation and being part of a freethinking community. (Source: ANU)

Employment & Training:

At age 14, Cathy was told by the high school vocational guidance offer that her only career aspiration was to win an Olympic medal.

Cathy did work experience as a hairdresser before winning a scholarship to attend Fairholme College.

After graduating from school, Cathy was offered a job as a recreation officer at the Kooralbyn Valley Resort before being sacked for her tardiness.

Cathy moved to Melbourne and worked in a sandwich bar then worked in a sports store.

In 1992 Cathy was employed as part of Australia Post's Olympic Job Opportunities Program

That same year she started to receive scholarships from Balarinji Design Studio, then Oakley, Nike and later Qantas, Schweppes, Telstra, Ford Australia, News Ltd and Channel 7.

In 1994, after the Commonwealth Games, Cathy continue to work in the public relationship department for Australia Post until her training schedule became increasingly busy. Her scholarships ceased and Cathy phased out other forms of employment.

After the Sydney Olympics, Cathy worked as a commentator for the BBC. (Source: ANU)

Cathy first visited America as part of an international Athletics Exchange tour.

Cathy attended longer training camps in Califormia and Texas.

Cathy attended a track training program in Melbourne started by her then boyfriend, Nic Bideau.(Source: ANU)

Experiences:

Cathy contracted glandular fever in 1984, and missed two months of school. This was a “major setback” for her athletics.
— “On the track I lost all my strength, and even six months later I still wasn’t myself. For the first time I wasn’t winning; it was all I could do to finish second and third behind girls I’d easily beaten before.”

Cathy contracted shingles in 1985, and had to forsake another athletics season. (Source: ANU)

Links:

ANU - Indigenous Australia - Cathy Freeman	Civics and Citizenship
Cathy Freeman Foundation	Wikipedia
People and Places - Cathy Freeman	SMH - 2006
The Australian Weekend Magazine	50 Stunning Olympic Moments
Olympics	Sports Card World
First Race I Can Remember

YouTube: Sporting Nation: Cathy Freeman - 54mins
https://youtu.be/2RZP_pLrc1o

Material sourced from 
ANU: Indigenous Australia
Sports Card World
Wikipedia

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