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Maybe you all have already seen this, but I just stumbled upon it. -kat
Footloose and free Cathy stalks Perec - Herald-Sun, Melbourne Australia
12Nov. 98
AS ANOTHER interviewer approaches, the highest-paid female athlete in
thecountry shies away. Cathy Freeman would rather be anywhere but facing
theline ofcameras. "More?" the world 400m champion quizzes a minder. Everyone
wants to know howshe is travelling, is she over her foot injury, will she win
gold inSydney? "I'm back training, I'm keen, hungry and excited," she says.
The most heartening news is that Freeman wants to race more in Australiain
herlead-up to the Sydney Olympics. "I want to run more often here in
Australia because I miss racing and Iwant to havea good 1999 season so my
confidence will be fairly good going into Sydney. "It's the one and only
chance to run in an Olympics in my own country." Freeman resumed training
last week after a three-month lay-off because ofa footinjury which prevented
her defending her 400m Commonwealth Games crown inKuala Lumpur. "Things are
going good. The foot is OK, it gets a little bit sore onlybecause Ihaven't
used it for so long. "But it is really exciting to be back running again,
good to be physicalagain." The Atlanta Olympic silver medallist broke down at
her first Europeanrace of theseason in Oslo in July. Her withdrawal from
Kuala Lumpur raised more than a few eyebrows. Somequestioned her motivation
to the extent that the fame and riches weregetting to thegirl from the back
blocks of Mackay. Conservatively, Freeman, the 1998 Australian of the Year,
is worth aboutA$1.1million a year. Fame has well and truly gobbled her up and
yesterday she was the keyfigure inthe launching of Australia's first Nike
superstore in the city. When quizzed about her motivation the normally
easygoing Freeman changestone. "I love running for my country," she said. "It
was very frustrating to miss the Commonwealth Games. "Sure I've experienced
success, but true success to me is an Olympic goldmedal."I also look at
success as maybe another 10 years in the sport at a highlevel,years of
consistency. "Success isn't just winning one medal here or a world
championship, it isaboutsticking at it and staying true to yourself." Mention
Marie-Jose Perec's name and the eyes lower even more. "She's my motivation,
she's the Olympic champion. I can beat her, butshe's run48.25sec so I'll have
to run faster than that." THE tall Frenchwoman has been Freeman's nemesis for
several years with theAustralian only having one victory over Perec, back in
1996 a couplemonths afterrunning second to her in Atlanta. During the past
month Freeman has been doing a whistle-stop tour of thecountrypromoting her
biography, Cathy Freeman – A Journey Just Begun. She is looking forward to it
ending and for her talking to be done on thetrack andnot in television
studios or in shopping malls. "Anybody who knows me knows that it (fame)
doesn't affect me at all," the25-year-old says. "True it does make me feel
good about who I am, but I like to play itlow-key. "I'm fairly shy and it
does take a lot of energy out of you." Freeman has been travelling the world
while resting her foot. She briefly attended the Commonwealth Games, but
didn't see the 200m or400m,before heading for Iceland and Alaska with fiance,
American Nikeexecutive SandyBodecker. "Iceland has been a place I've wanted
to visit for three years and Alaskawasawesome," she beams. <SNIP>She knows
that if she is to be at her best to clash with Perec at the
worldchampionships in Spain next year, she needs to regain her title
asAustralia'spremier sprinter. "I want to be in better shape in January than
I ever have been at thattime before, atleast 80 per cent." Freeman is
scheduled to make her return at the elite level in the openingmeetingof the
Optus Grand Prix series in Perth on January 24. <SNIP>
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