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 Even carrying the weight of her country, Cathy Freeman triumphs
Tuesday, September 26, 2000 By Lori Shontz, Post-Gazette Sports Writer
SYDNEY, Australia -- When her moment finally came, Cathy Freeman was barely able to be a part of it. She had worked so hard to win a gold medal, had worried so much that she would fall short, had inspired so much emotion in the crowd of 110,000 that packed Olympic Stadium to cheer her on that once she accomplished her goal, she could manage only one more thing.
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To sit.
Yesterday, Freeman became the first Aborigine to win an individual Olympic gold, using a powerful finishing kick for a victory in the 400 meters in 49.11 seconds, almost a half-second faster than the field.
Then she covered her face with her hands and plopped onto the track, exhausted, but not simply because of the effort it takes to sprint one full lap of the track.
"I was just totally overwhelmed," Freeman said in her musical, lilting voice. "I could feel the crowd just totally around me, all over me, all the emotion. I just felt everybody's emotions and happiness and joy and [was] totally absorbing it in every pore of my body.
"I just had to sit down and try to make myself feel normal and get comfortable."
Freeman wasn't the only one.
Lorriane Graham of Jamaica, the silver medalist, ran a personal best (49.58) and said afterward, "It wasn't just Cathy Freeman. I was pushed by the crowd." Bronze medalist Katharine Merry of England (49.72) set a personal record, too, and gushed, "I was part of a very special race this evening. I was privileged to run with Cathy. I'm just over the moon."
As Freeman collected herself, the celebration raged on around her.
The fans roared almost as loudly as they did during the introductions, when they drowned out the voice of the public-address announcer. Those who waved flags had a variety from which to choose -- Australian, Aboriginal or a new combo-flag -- Australian with an Aboriginal flag in the upper left-hand corner instead of a Union Jack.
That such a hybrid flag exists shows that while the Aborigines are not yet part of the mainstream in Australia, they are gradually gaining acceptance in a society that oppressed them for years.
"I'm sure what happened tonight will make a difference in the attitudes," Freeman said. "The person on the street, their attitude. The people in the political arena, their attitude. All I know is that I made a lot of people happy from all kinds of backgrounds who call Australia home.
"And I'm happy."
The moment was Freeman's second turn in the spotlight at the stadium, where she had lit the Olympic caldron and become an international symbol just 10 days before. Both of her performances were packed with pressure, but her second was easier.
"I was really concerned about falling in the water when I walked across it to light the caldron," Freeman said. "Whereas running is like breathing to me. It was fun. I had a great time. ... In comparison, I think the Olympic gold is more personal for me than the Olympic flame."
Freeman was nervous as she walked into the stadium, but she heard a voice in her head reminding her, repeatedly, "Do what you know." She ran her race exactly as her coach had planned -- a relaxed first 200, a powerful kick. She was in third place coming off the final turn and into the homestretch, but she made up the ground quickly.
She clapped a hand over her mouth as she crossed the finish line, then sank to the track and took off her shoes, which were the Aboriginal colors -- black, red and yellow. Although she was the overwhelming favorite in the race, especially since 1996 Olympic champion Maria-Jose Perec of France had fled Sydney under mysterious circumstances, Freeman wasn't taking anything for granted.
"Sport is this great arena for drama," she said. "It's a reflection of life, and anything can happen. Even the favorites just sometimes don't win."
Freeman knew as soon as Sydney was awarded theGames that she would need to find a way to cope with the additional pressure. So she consciously decided long ago to try to experience as much of the Olympics as possible so she could tell her children about them someday.
"That was one of my goals, to keep life simple and stick to my priorities and do what makes me happy," she said. "To try my hardest and stay true to what I am."
When she took her victory lap, Freeman carried the Australian flag and Aboriginal flag tied together. She walked about two-thirds of the way around in her bare feet, then finally seemed to find the energy to jog the rest of the way. For the first time, she was able to smile and wave at the crowd.
Later, when Australian International Olympic Committee member Kevin Gospar put the gold medal around her neck, Freeman hugged him, then embraced the person who gave her the flowers, too. She beamed the entire way through the ceremony, sang along with the Australian national anthem and waved to everyone as she left the stadium.
"I'm going to share my Olympic gold medal with my husband and with my family," Freeman said. "And then, of course, anybody else who's wanting to join in can join in."
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