Okay, got an answer back from my friend downunder.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hi Rhanyel,

I'm sure that Cathy is right handed she was shown on TV last night in
Mackay, Queensland, where she comes from, talking to the crowds and then
signing autographs.

Hope this helps you.

Fiona T
Aussie Dowunder
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There ya go, also WOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

I got my first posters from ebay.  They are actually inserts of the
newpapers in 1996 of the Olympics then.  And you would think they were brand
new. I posted one of the scans I was sent of one on the website.  It is the
one where her hair is shaved down.

Also, got lots of magazines from downunder.  With some beautiful pictures of
Cathy!  And many had pics of her husband.  He is a very very nice looking
man.  Very tall, athletic, blonde and faire and a nice smile.  He just
better be good to Cathy or we will have to get him. LOL.  She seems so very
happy in her pics w/ him, so blessings to them both.  There was also lots of
talk about her desire to have a child.  From the looks of the both of them,
should be a gorgeous child!  I just hope all works out for her and does not
end up like that last one...who I hope will leave her alone sometime soon!

She also, does plan to be at the next Olympics..so woohooo!

Okay..gonna go back to work. LOL.  Take care!

Rhanyel
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Hi!
I've just found new and very nice article.
Oh and by the way...
Maybe you don't know but if you want to find news about Cathy you
don't have to check all newspapers separately site by site.
I recommend www.wn.com for searching news about Cathy. 'World News'
searches for news and aritcles in main newspapers and news agencies
from around the world (including Australia).
Just type 'Cathy Freeman' and click 'Go!'

Here's the text:

Cathy comes home to cheers of a city

MACKAY
Tuesday 24 October 2000

Olympic champion Cathy Freeman returned to Mackay yesterday to share
her Olympic triumph with her home town.

"I have never made any secret of the pride I have in myself," the 400-
metre gold medallist said at a welcome by about 2000 people, mostly
schoolchildren, during her first visit to Mackay since the Sydney
Olympics. "Part of being who I am is knowing where I came from, so it
was not really just me who won the gold medal, it was you," she said.

Freeman began her running career at the age of 11 in Mackay on an
oval now renamed in her honor. Her brief speech brought cheers from
the crowd, who initially were disappointed when Freeman apologised
because she had "forgotten" to bring along her gold medal.

Moments later the medal appeared, to loud cheers.

Freeman presented autographed sheets of commemorative stamps issued
after her victory to representatives of 33 schools throughout the
district, and later signed autographs.

She said later that she had had no trouble coming down from the
euphoria of the Olympic victory, but was a little tired from all the
attention.

The visit, she said, was her way of thanking everyone for their
support. "I didn't know what to expect," she said. "It's a little
overwhelming."

Freeman said she planned to catch up with family and friends during
her visit and "just relax with no deadlines".

Mackay Mayor Julie Boyd said the people of the city were proud of her
extraordinary achievements. "We want to tell you how you brought us
to our feet on the evening of September 25, how we held our breath in
anticipation of your spectacular win," she said.

"And how we were all silenced by the look of relief and quiet joy
that washed over your face as you huddled down on the track at the
finishing line."

AAP

The article is from: www.theage.com.au

Madi

Welcome Madi!  We are so glad to have you join our small, but growing group.
   We are just hoping that in a matter of time, we will grow to a  larger
group!  Thank you for answering the questionaire.  I wish I had paid
attention to the Olympics in 96, and gotten to see Cathy back then.  But, I
am thankful to catch her now.  Just hoping to find out when she is racing
and where.  I know she competes in races all over the globe from time to
time.  Would be nice to catch her at one!

Don't forget to check out the files section on our egroups.  I am slowely
trying to upload pictures there of Cathy.  You are all welcome to submit
some as well!

I searched again today in the Aussie news, but found no information on who
is possibly going to be her new management.  Once, they are set going to try
and see if they will list her races and promotional events.

And Madi, your english is very good.  I tried to learn polish about 8 years
ago and gave up trying.  It was so hard.  So, if you can translate your
thoughts into english...then you are doing incredible in my eyes!

Again, thanks for joining us!  Great to have another devoted fan!

Rhanyel
*about to die if her aussie magazines with Cathy on them don't show up soon!
::laughs::*

>Hello everyone!
>
>I apologize that I didn't introduce myself yesterday. I found this
>group late at night and I was too sleepy to write anything sensible
>(considering that English is my second language which I still learn).
>So I had to put it off.
>
>Here's a little info about me.
>
>Name: Madi
>State/Country: Warsaw, Poland
>
>Favorite Sports: playing Basketball and Football (Soccer), watching
>Tennis, Summer and Winter Olympics. I love watching sports (basically
>every sporting event).
>
>Hobbies: studying international relations (and issues such us: world
>matters, conflicts, geopolitics, climate change and more), learning
>about arts and cultures of other nations. I usually say that I'm
>interested in everything what interests me :)
>
>First time you saw Cathy: 1996 in Atlanta. I saw her in the 400m
>semifinal and well... there was something about her. I saw that great
>passion in her eyes. And the way she run... so naturally as if she
>loved it. So from that moment I've became her devoted fan. But it was
>the internet that gave me more opportunities to find news and
>informations about her.
>
>Did you bother your family watching ever bit she was on on the
>Olympics? (lol):  My parents know that I'm crazy about sports. So I
>had no problem with 'forcing' them (lol) to watch the 400m final. My
>parents enjoyed the race very much and lighting the cauldron as well.
>By the way the opening ceremony was fabulous... especially Cathy.
>I was so nervous before her every race. And I was nervously mad
>before the final. And her victory was one of the greatest moments
>I've ever seen and which I will never forget.
>Every detail of this event is phenomenal for me. Cathy is a
>phenomenal athlete and a great inspiration.
>I have all her Olympic races recorded on one videotape so maybe
>someday I will be able to show it to younger people and tell them
>that dreaming is not a waste of time.
>
>Any good websites that you recommend?: I humbly recommend mine..
>There you can find nice computer wallpapers with nature to download.
>Here is the link: http://madigo.republika.pl
>
>That's all about me.
>
>I have one question. There's an information that Cathy is left-handed
>but I saw a photo of her giving an autograph with her right hand.
>So... is Cathy right-handed or left-handed?
>
>Oh, you can find me on ICQ: #31971218
>Madi
>
>

_________________________________________________________________________
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Hello everyone!

I apologize that I didn't introduce myself yesterday. I found this
group late at night and I was too sleepy to write anything sensible
(considering that English is my second language which I still learn).
So I had to put it off.

Here's a little info about me.

Name: Madi
State/Country: Warsaw, Poland

Favorite Sports: playing Basketball and Football (Soccer), watching
Tennis, Summer and Winter Olympics. I love watching sports (basically
every sporting event).

Hobbies: studying international relations (and issues such us: world
matters, conflicts, geopolitics, climate change and more), learning
about arts and cultures of other nations. I usually say that I'm
interested in everything what interests me :)

First time you saw Cathy: 1996 in Atlanta. I saw her in the 400m
semifinal and well... there was something about her. I saw that great
passion in her eyes. And the way she run... so naturally as if she
loved it. So from that moment I've became her devoted fan. But it was
the internet that gave me more opportunities to find news and
informations about her.

Did you bother your family watching ever bit she was on on the
Olympics? (lol):  My parents know that I'm crazy about sports. So I
had no problem with 'forcing' them (lol) to watch the 400m final. My
parents enjoyed the race very much and lighting the cauldron as well.
By the way the opening ceremony was fabulous... especially Cathy.
I was so nervous before her every race. And I was nervously mad
before the final. And her victory was one of the greatest moments
I've ever seen and which I will never forget.
Every detail of this event is phenomenal for me. Cathy is a
phenomenal athlete and a great inspiration.
I have all her Olympic races recorded on one videotape so maybe
someday I will be able to show it to younger people and tell them
that dreaming is not a waste of time.

Any good websites that you recommend?: I humbly recommend mine..
There you can find nice computer wallpapers with nature to download.
Here is the link: http://madigo.republika.pl

That's all about me.

I have one question. There's an information that Cathy is left-handed
but I saw a photo of her giving an autograph with her right hand.
So... is Cathy right-handed or left-handed?

Oh, you can find me on ICQ: #31971218
Madi

Welcome madi!

  Name: Ara
  State/Country: USA
  Favorite Sports: Basketball & Track
  Hobbies: Human Rights Issues
  First time you saw Cathy: the Olympics
  Did you bother your family watching ever bit she was on on the Olympics?
(lol) Yes
  Any good websites that you recommend? not really, other then ebay! lol

Just so everyone knows..this is me as well.  Just use this email addy for
work now.  So, much easier then signing onto AOL.
Again, welcome madi@...

Rhanyel


>From: CometsGrrl@...
>Reply-To: CosImFree@egroups.com
>To: CosImFree@egroups.com
>Subject: [CosImFree] Welcome Madi and a little questionaire.
>Date: Mon, 23 Oct 2000 07:09:36 EDT
>
>Hey everyone!  Please welcome madi@..., who has joined our CosImFree
>group.
>
>How about everyone introducing themselves at this point!  I know we are a
>small group.  But, could be fun.  Here are some general Questions.
>
>Name:
>State/Country:
>Favorite Sports:
>Hobbies:
>First time you saw Cathy:
>Did you bother your family watching ever bit she was on on the Olympics?
>(lol)
>Any good websites that you recommend?
>
>There that is a start! :0)
>And here below are my answers to this:
>
>Name: Rhanyel
>State/Country: Georgia/USA
>Favorite Sports: Track, Basketball and Soccer
>Hobbies: watching sports, playing sports (but not active enough yet),
>collecting Cathy stuff, Xena:Warrior Princess, art, messing with
>webpages...that is good for now! :0)
>First time you saw Cathy: In an online article in August, from Los Angeles.
>The pic of her caught my eye.  And I read the article.  Have always thought
>the aboriginal Australian's mystical and beautiful.  And, heh, love
>sports...so began to pay attention automatically.  So, was  fan before I
>even
>got to see her run...or rather..before I even saw her light the cauldron at
>the Olympics.
>Did you bother your family watching ever bit she was on on the Olympics?
>(lol) Yep, my daughter didn't understand why I was rooting for the Aussie
>and
>not USA.
>Any good websites that you recommend? www.cathyfreeman.org and
>www.cathyfreeman.net

_________________________________________________________________________
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Hey everyone!  Please welcome madi@..., who has joined our CosImFree
group.

How about everyone introducing themselves at this point!  I know we are a
small group.  But, could be fun.  Here are some general Questions.

Name:
State/Country:
Favorite Sports:
Hobbies:
First time you saw Cathy:
Did you bother your family watching ever bit she was on on the Olympics? (lol)
Any good websites that you recommend?

There that is a start! :0)
And here below are my answers to this:

Name: Rhanyel
State/Country: Georgia/USA
Favorite Sports: Track, Basketball and Soccer
Hobbies: watching sports, playing sports (but not active enough yet),
collecting Cathy stuff, Xena:Warrior Princess, art, messing with
webpages...that is good for now! :0)
First time you saw Cathy: In an online article in August, from Los Angeles.
The pic of her caught my eye.  And I read the article.  Have always thought
the aboriginal Australian's mystical and beautiful.  And, heh, love
sports...so began to pay attention automatically.  So, was  fan before I even
got to see her run...or rather..before I even saw her light the cauldron at
the Olympics.
Did you bother your family watching ever bit she was on on the Olympics?
(lol) Yep, my daughter didn't understand why I was rooting for the Aussie and
not USA.
Any good websites that you recommend? www.cathyfreeman.org and
www.cathyfreeman.net

Check it out:

http://clubs.lycos.com/live/events/transcripts/Cathy_Freeman_tscript.asp

Kat

Hello all this is Rhanyel.  I just wanted to let you all know that we
now have uploaded files for CosImFree@egroups.com.  You are welcome
to upload files to the Files yourself.  Just try and put them in the
correct folders.  You can find the files, when you got to egroups,
and select My groups, then CosImFree.

:0)
Rhanyel

Hello,

This email message is a notification to let you know that
a file has been uploaded to the Files area of the CosImFree
group.

   File        : /Sydney Olympics General/17f_freeman.jpg
   Uploaded by : CosImFree_Grrl@...
   Description : CathyEyes

You can access this file at the URL

http://www.egroups.com/files/CosImFree/Sydney+Olympics+General/17f_freeman%2Ejpg

To learn more about eGroups file sharing, please visit

http://www.egroups.com/help/files.html


Regards,

CosImFree_Grrl@...

Hello,

This email message is a notification to let you know that
a file has been uploaded to the Files area of the CosImFree
group.

   File        : /Non action shots/cathybck1.jpg
   Uploaded by : CosImFree_Grrl@...
   Description : Cathy in chair

You can access this file at the URL

http://www.egroups.com/files/CosImFree/Non+action+shots/cathybck1%2Ejpg

To learn more about eGroups file sharing, please visit

http://www.egroups.com/help/files.html


Regards,

CosImFree_Grrl@...

Freeman lashes out over stolen generation

2000-07-17 01:46:36


Australia's Olympic athletics gold medal hope Cathy Freeman has branded the
Federal Government insensitive over the stolen generation.

The world champion runner has told Britain's Sunday Telegraph newspaper that
her grandmother was a stolen child and the government's insensitivity had
left people angry and emotional.

The government rejected the criticism, repeating its expression of regret
over past policies of removing Aboriginal children from their families to
encourage assimilation.

"My grandmother was taken away from her mother because she had fair skin. She
didn't know her birthday so we didn't even know how old she was when she
died," Freeman told the paper.

"You have to understand that when you have a government that is so
insensitive to the issues that are close to people's hearts, that have
affected so many lives for the worse, people are going to be really angry and
emotional.

"I was so angry because they were denying they had done anything wrong,
denying that a whole generation was stolen. The fact is, parts of people's
lives were taken away, they were stolen.

"I'll never know who my grandfather was, I didn't know who my great
grandmother was, and that can never be replaced."

The government said earlier this year that only about 10 per cent of
Aborigines were affected and the term stolen generation was a misnomer.

A spokesman for Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Herron said the government
acknowledged many people were affected.

"The government has expressed its deep and sincere regret for past injustices
and for the hurt and trauma that many indigenous people continue to feel as a
consequence of past practices of separation," he said.

"The government acknowledges that many people have been affected by past
family separation practices and that is why the government is spending $63
million on a national package of practical and realistic initiatives
including family link-up and counselling."

Freeman is adamant her feelings will not mean participation in any protests
at the Olympic Games and that she can prove more by competing.
- AAP

This story was found at:
http://www.theage.com.au/news/20000717/A11623-2000Jul17.html

Freeman blast lifts pressure: Boyle
By JACQUELIN MAGNAY
2000-07-19 01:52:11


Dual Olympic silver medallist sprinter Raelene Boyle says Cathy Freeman's
criticism of the Howard Government over the stolen generation may relieve
significant pressure that had been put on her.

Ms Boyle, one of Freeman's closest friends for 10 years and who attended her
San Francisco wedding last year, said the 400-metre world champion had been
under much pressure to make a statement for some time.

"Hopefully, now that Cathy has spoken out, it will take the pressure off her
from the indigenous committees," Ms Boyle said.

"They have been pushing her to say something for a long time and maybe now
they will leave her alone and let her get ready for the Olympics."

Ms Boyle said Freeman had resisted speaking during May's Corroboree 2000
event and other politically sensitive times, but speculated that she gave the
interview to London's Sunday Telegraph because she was "very comfortable and
happy with her life right now".

Ms Boyle said people greatly underestimated Freeman's intelligence and said
the runner would have known the impact her words would have.

"Cathy knew what she said would bounce around the world, which it did and I
admire her for it," she said.

"By standing up and saying what she did, she is trying to make it better for
others. I just hope it may relieve the pressure she has been under for her to
make a statement.

"She just needs to be able to focus on training and not be distracted by
events back home now."

This story was found at:
http://www.theage.com.au/news/20000719/A15314-2000Jul18.html

A person I bidded and got posters from put some stuff on the internet about
Cathy  and the Olympics.

Here's the links:

http://images.honesty.com/imagedata/8/7/2/16716872.jpg

http://images.honesty.com/imagedata/8/7/8/16716878.jpg

http://images.honesty.com/imagedata/8/7/9/16716879.jpg

http://images.honesty.com/imagedata/8/8/0/16716880.jpg

http://images.honesty.com/imagedata/8/8/1/16716881.jpg

Blessings
Rhanyel

hey everyone.  Go check out www.cathyfreeman.net

There is a beautiful book and pics.

Rhanyel

Michael Gordon looks at the high-profile indigenous presence at the
  2000 Olympics and ponders the Cathy Freeman effect.

      By MICHAEL GORDON
      11:04AM, Oct 13

      My Olympic experience began in Melbourne in early September at the
  Prime Minister's Olympic Dinner, a gala black-tie event with a guest
  list of 2,000,
      including many of Australia's greatest sporting heroes and highest
  achievers in business, politics and the arts. John Howard remarked in
  his keynote
      address that there was something marvellously symbolic in the venue,
  the Royal Exhibition Building - the place where the Federal Parliament
  sat for the
      first time on May 9, 1901. And there was.

      "Here we are, back in Melbourne, the first Australian city to host
  the Olympic Games," the Prime Minister said, adding that it was also the
  city where
      Edwin Flack, "our only representative in 1896" grew up and was
  educated.

      It was a feel-good night drenched in sporting nostalgia, with
  Olympic highlights replayed in slow-motion to evocative music on a giant
  screen and
      cameo appearances by living legends like Dawn Fraser and Murray
  Rose. It wasn't until shortly after they toasted "the Queen and the
  people of
      Australia" that I sensed something was missing. Where was the
  indigenous presence?

      It wasn't that the organisers intended this oversight. Far from it.
  It was just that the life experience of most of those present and the
  golden sporting era
      they celebrated reflected a time when things were different, a time
  when most of Australia was blissfully unaware that Australia was a
  country
      incomplete, when institutional discrimination, profound
  disadvantage, geography and racism consigned much of indigenous
  Australia to the fringe.

      The Melbourne Olympics became known as the Friendly Games for all
  the right reasons. But they weren't particularly friendly times for
  indigenous
      Australia. For a start, there was not a single Aborigine in the
  Australian team. Less than a year after they were held, Cathy Freeman's
  great-uncle,
      Sonny Sibley, was arrested for being one of the leaders of a strike
  against the two-pound-a-week wages paid to Aboriginal workers on Palm
  Island,
      where Freeman's maternal grandmother was taken as an eight-year-old.

      How symbolic was it, then, that Freeman, one of 11 Aborigines in
  Australia's team for these Games, should be given the honour of lighting
  the Olympic
      cauldron six days later in Sydney? That the underlying theme of such
  a wonderful opening ceremony should be inclusion? And that, having
  confirmed
      her athletic greatness on the track, Freeman should run that joyous
  victory lap after the 400 metres carrying two flags tied together, the
  Australian and
      the Aboriginal?

      If the Melbourne Games were a reflection of the country as it was
  then - a good-natured contradiction, egalitarian but blind - the Sydney
  Games
      amounted to a statement of how much Australia has changed in the
  intervening years, and a declaration of where the nation would like to
  go. If the
      criterion is potential for an enduring impact, these were the
  Reconciliation Games and Cathy Freeman was their personification.

      But how do you begin to assess that potential? You start by looking
  at the faces of those in the crowd at the Olympic stadium. George Brown,
  a
      17-year-old from the Wreck Bay Aboriginal community on the NSW south
  coast, was one of them and his standout memory is the aftermath of
      Freeman's emphatic victory in the 400 metres.

      There have been many occasions when the nation has watched as one in
  nervous anticipation as an Australian team or individual attempted to
  make
      sporting history, but few that generated the kind of collective knot
  in the stomach that accompanied Freeman as she settled into the blocks.
  And few
      that generated such unbridled euphoria after the moment of triumph.

      "I couldn't believe how many non-indigenous people were holding up
  Aboriginal flags, and the Australian flag with the Union Jack cut out
  and replaced
      by the Aboriginal flag - and how many Australians stood up for Cathy
  and cried when she went over to her mum," recalls Brown, a schoolboy
  athlete
      who wants to be a lawyer. "That was amazing."

      Brown and his younger brother, Jackson, were among those who danced
  in the 11-minute "Awakening" segment of the opening ceremony, an event
      that represented a watershed in reconciliation for black Australia -
  the first time so many groups danced as one before such a huge domestic
  and
      international audience.

      "It was blackfellas reconciling in their own backyard," says Stephen
  Page, the artistic director of the Bangarra Dance Theatre, who shared
      responsibility for the segment with Rhoda Roberts. Apart from being
  a source of pride and inspiration for those who took part and those who
  watched
      from the stands or on television, the event will have practical
  consequences, exposing hundreds of urban Aborigines to their cultural
  inheritance. Says
      Page: "All these Koori kids from different schools are going to do
  exchanges with the kids from Arnhem Land, so we're building our own
  bridge. We're
      not waiting for one little old fart to say sorry anymore. We can't
  give our energy to that anymore."

      For Page, aged 34, the most emotional moment was a private one, when
  he was invited into the converted car park that served as the dressing
  room
      for the women from the Central Desert, to hear a hymn of thanks by
  those who had spent six hours preparing for the shortest, but one of the
  most
      significant, corroborees in history. "To have close to 400 Central
  Desert women stand around you with their costumes on, ready to go onto
  the field,
      and all they want to do is say thank you, is pretty special."

      Then there is the question of what impact Freeman's example of
  athletic excellence and unaffected generosity of spirit will have on
  young Australians,
      particularly those in indigenous communities which have had all too
  little to celebrate. Communities like Palm Island, the place established
  as a penal
      colony for "troublesome Aborigines".

      The Sibley clan includes Jack, 80, the brother of the late Sonny and
  George, Freeman's maternal grandfather. They watched the 400 metres on
      television and wept in almost disbelieving joy.

      "It meant a lot to me because she's Aboriginal and proud to be
  Aboriginal," said Cecelia Sibley, Cathy's aunt. "It's also going to
  encourage the young kids
      here to think that they can do it, too."

      Tollivar Fisher, the brother of Cathy's late father, watched her on
  television from his home in Cairns. He wept, too, but he also did
  something he has
      never done before: he stood for the national anthem when Cathy
  received her gold medal.

      And what will it mean for non-indigenous Australia? Ric Birch, the
  principal architect of the opening and closing ceremonies, insists the
  reconciliation
      theme was the unconscious product of an attempt by himself and David
  Atkins, the ceremonies' artistic director, to deliver a message of
  inclusion.

      "A defining moment in Australian history? I'd love to think that the
  ceremonies will make Australia a better place for the forces of
  reconciliation, for all the
      forces of good in society. I'd love to think that would happen. But
  it's very much up to the audience and, ultimately, ceremonies probably
  reflect society
      rather than necessarily create history. What I hope is that it will
  inspire the people who watched it to move on."

      This aspiration is shared by young George Brown. "We're hopefully
  taking the long road to reconciliation, but we're not necessarily half
  way yet. We're
      gradually getting there. We just need a bit more effort from the
  whole of Australia, not just half."

      One signpost of progress will be the make-up of future Prime
  Minister's Olympic Dinners. One certainty is that when the sporting
  legends of past and
      present are acknowledged and applauded, Cathy Freeman will forever
  be among them.

Freeman and Jones hold centrestage as others fall to
           curse

           By LOUISE EVANS
           6:25PM, Oct 01

           Marion Jones has been waiting for today to dawn for two years,
  and now that it's here she doesn't
           want the sun to set.

           In front of record Olympic crowds, the greatest female athlete
  in the world made history by winning
           five medals at her first Games in Sydney.

           They weren't all gold as she would have wished, but five medals
  is historic as no other woman has
           netted such a tally at one Olympics.

           The 23-year-old American with the heart-shaped face did it by
  racing 10 times in nine days and
           jumping seven times in the long jump. No wonder she was tired
  this morning. But she woke feeling
           joyously content for she did it against enormous odds.

           When news broke mid-Olympics that her husband, world shot put
  champion C.J. Hunter, had tested
           positive, it cast a dark shadow on her world. But showing
  strength of character that won her even more hearts, she rose above the
  scandal
           and kept on rising.

           Her first gold medals came in the 100 and 200 metres, then two
  bronzes in the long jump and 100m relay and finally a third gold in the
  400m
           relay.

           ''I still feel in my heart I had a chance to win the long jump
  and that we had a chance in the 4 x 100, but overall it was a very
  successful
           Games, very challenging definitely, but overall it was a very
  good experience,'' Jones said.

           ''I am just going to really enjoy this right now. Right now I
  just want to take this all in.''

           Jones's US teammates, Olympic 100m champion Maurice Greene and
  Mr 400m Michael Johnson, will leave Sydney with two golds apiece after
           winning their individual sprint and relay events.

           Like Jones, Greene has vowed to defend his title at the next
  Olympics in Athens in 2004, but Johnson wants to retire as the best 400m
  runner
           the world has ever seen.

           Whether Cathy Freeman will call it quits remains to be seen.
  Freeman is feeling nothing but relief today that she doesn't have to
  race or chase
           again.

           Her gold medal in the 400m will go down in history as one of
  the most watched events at any Olympics and second only to her lighting
  of the
           cauldron.

           But while Freeman lives to run and runs to win, she is not
  comfortable with the fame that accompanies it. She declined to discuss
  her seventh
           placing in the 200m final and fifth in the 400m relay, and
  walked away from people calling her name without a second look.

           A career in politics has been muted, but it would seem unlikely
  for a shy Aboriginal woman who chooses her words as frugally as if she
  was
           writing a telegram.

           Regardless of her future athletic pursuits, these were
  Freeman's Games and she reigned over one of the greatest nights of sport
  ever seen.

           It was a night that Tatiana Grigorieva guaranteed her face
  would adorn every magazine published in Australia before Christmas when
  she
           flew to a silver medal in the pole vault.

           As the bar crept ever higher, Romania's dual world 5000m
  champion Gabriela Szabo was surging on the track, not once but four
  times in the
           final lap, to hold off Ireland's Sonia O'Sullivan for her first
  Olympic gold.

           And then in the men's 10,000, multiple world cross-country
  champion Paul Tergat raced with four-time world and defending Olympic
  champion
           Haile Gebrselassie for 25 laps, only to be beaten in the last
  few desperate strides to the line.

           And on this same wondrous night out in the sand pit, the
  English pastor's son Jonathan Edwards won a triple jump gold medal for
  his wife
           back home, who was grieving for the mother she buried on the
  day of the opening ceremony.

           Great sporting achievement uplifts the human spirit, but it can
  also soothe aching souls.

           Nothing will be able to console the four great athletes who
  were felled by the Olympic curse. Six-time world pole vault champion
  Sergey
           Bubka once again had a wasted Olympic journey following his
  doomed 1992 and 1966 campaigns. He no-heighted, again.

           Cursed, too, is Gail Devers, the US hurdle diva who was felled
  by injury midway through the 100m event, a shocking deja vu following
  her fall
           at the line in 1992.

           Also doomed was the once unbeatable Hicham El Guerrouj, who
  carried a photograph of his 1500m defeat at the 1996 Atlanta Games with
           him for four years. ''Those who forget are doomed to repeat''
  was his mantra. Yet beaten he was in the home straight of the 1500m
  final by
           his one-time best man Noah Ngeny. Even now, to see Ngeny's name
  listed first on the result sheet is hard to believe.

           The fourth to suffer the curse was Kenyan-Dane Wilson Kipketer,
  who has three world titles but no Olympic gold medal after being beaten
  in
           his 800m event by a German, Nils Schumann.

           There were upsets aplenty on the track, but none so shocking as
  the victory by Kon the Greek. Rest assured the new Olympic 200m
           champion Konstantinos Kenteris will be lighting the torch at
  the 2004 Games in Athens following his unheralded victory.

           Maybe Jones might up the ante there and go for six golds by
  adding Freeman's event to her program.

           Now that would be a race.

http://www.olympics.smh.com.au/specials/cathy.html

Legal action against Freeman dropped



                  By CAROLINE WILSON
                  Tuesday 17 October 2000

                  Cathy Freeman's post-Olympic celebrations yesterdayreceived a
                  filip when her former management group sought towithdraw
interim
                  legal action scheduled for this Friday in Melbourne's Supreme
                  Court.

                  In a move which has freed Freeman to open a new series of
                  sponsorship negotiations exploiting her increased
international
                  success and stardom, her former accountant Peter Jess and
partner
                  Nick Bideau are no longer seeking a restraining order
against the
                  Sydney Olympic 400-metres champion.

                  While Mr Jess and Mr Bideau are still suing Freeman for
breach of
                  contract, yesterday's move appears to open up the
possibility of an
                  out-of-court settlement despite the fact that a directions
hearing
                  remains scheduled for December.

                  Freeman, who has returned to the Kew home she shares with
American            husband of one year, Sandy Bodecker, is now expected to
bring forward           a scheduled holiday in North Queensland. She is also
holding interviews          for a new manager.

                  Freeman's lawyers, Middletons Moore and Bevins, and
             Queen's Counsel Jeffrey Sher had been
                  due to appear in the Supreme Court at 10am on October
             20, a hearing postponed from July after
                  pressure mounted against Mr Jess and Mr Bideau's
             Melbourne International Track Club to allow
                  Freeman to concentrate on the Olympics.

                  However, her lawyers still plan to counter-sue Mr
             Bideau and Mr Jess in an attempt to clarify
                  Freeman's financial situation should the MITC's legal
             action proceed.

                  Freeman's lawyer Peter Sinn said yesterday: "I don't
             believe that Mr Jess as her former
                  accountant has any entitlement to any further fees from
             Cathy. However, I anticipate that Mr
                  Bideau would have an entitlement to be paid for
             services as her manager following the Atlanta
                  Olympics.

                  "There's no allegation on our behalf that there's been
             a removal of funds away from Cathy
                  Freeman. However, they (the MITC) would want to
             establish exactly where her money stands as
                  it is a complicated arrangement."

                  Mr Sinn conceded Mr Bideau also could have further
             entitlements given his long-term relationship
                  with Freeman which ended in 1996.

                  "Even in de facto relationships, however, where one
             partner is earning the majority of the income
                  you don't have to share it 50-50," he said.

                  Mr Jess and Mr Bideau, who are both in Europe, sued
             Freeman for breach of contract after she
                  severed her links with her management group on May 4
             this year.

                  The subsequent legal claims revealed a complicated
             thicket of trust companies and a management
                  agreement complicated by Freeman and Mr Bideau's
             personal relationship.

                  At the public height of the dispute in early July, Mr
             Jess claimed the entire $3.4 million Freeman
                  had generated since January 1997 had been paid to her
             or to Catherine Freeman Enterprises, a
                  company she formed with Mr Bideau. Mr Jess said an
             average of $20,000 a month was paid to
                  "feed her credit card" while Mr Bideau drew between
             $38,000 and $40,000 a year.

                  However, Freeman's legal advisers believe Mr Bideau is
             entitled to no more than 15 per cent of
                  her earnings following the Atlanta Olympics.

I got another little picture from Australia this morning.  It is of the
magazine Women's Weekly that just came out.  Also for fun...here is a
dictionary of Aussie words.  I had to look up dag, cause Cathy said she was
dag.
  <A HREF="http://www.joyzine.zip.com.au/australia/strine/a.htm">JoyZine -
'Strine Decoded: Australian English Dictionary - "A"</A>
They practically have their own language of Aussie down there.  Tons of
words!!!

Anyway, found out that Cathy loves banana sandwhiches.  ::laughs:: Guess this
nut is going to have to try one.  ::shrugs:: Can't be all that bad.  Do you
imagine it it just banana and bread? or banana and peanut butter.  hmmmm may
have to find out.  Okay.. well going to go to work.  Enjoy the recent
magazine cover.

Take care
Rhanyel

Hello,

I just wanted to pass this website on.
http://www.olympics.smh.com.au/video/
Here you can hear Cathy's sweet voice!
Go there while you can!

And here is the place to order magazines from Australia.
They have several of the ones with Cathy.
  <A HREF="http://tsn.safeshopper.com/">tsn.safeshopper.com</A>
Ara

Hey Kat!

Thanks for the information on pictures!  I just got notice that my magazines
are on their way!  I am excited.  I ordered quiet a few.  Also, while your
are looking on Ebay....the new Cathy stamps are out.  I luckily got a friend
to get me some.  She is going to send it to me in a package loaded with Cathy
stuff from downunder.  I just can't wait to see it all.   I am going to
attach a picture of the new stamps for all of you.

Good luck in the bidding, Kat.  Hopefully, you and I are not bidding against
each other. LOL.

Take care
Rhanyel

I'd like to take this opportunity to say thank you to Rhanyel for welcoming
me to this group and say hi to all the members. I realize we are a small
group, but it doesn't matter. If we can somehow manage to get some Australian
fans, we'll grow rapidly for sure.

As Rhanyel mentioned the other day, Cathy's biography "Cathy Freeman: A
Journey Just Begun" is currently on backorder at amazon.co.uk. However, I was
lucky enough to have placed my order before that happened, and I received a
notice that it was being shipped to me via DHL Express on Friday. Hopefully,
I will have it in my hands early next week. I will let you all know my
thoughts on it (if anyone cares) as soon as I can.

For your information: there is a huge collection of pictures available at
www.archive.newspix.com.au. Simply search for "Cathy Freeman" and the search
result will find 500 matches (although only the first 200 are displayed).
Clicking on each small picture will enlargen them with "NewsPix" stamped all
over, but for those of you who do not want to pay the hefty price of a clear
download (AU $192.50), perhaps you can manage to enjoy them with this little
nuisance. There are certainly some fantastic pictures of Cathy in action on
the track, of the Australian Olympic Homecoming parade, headshots of the
Olympic press conferences, and of Cathy her husband Alexander Bodecker among
others.

If anyone of you out there has a VHS copy of Cathy from the Sydney Games,
please let me know. Unfortunately, I missed her fantastic 400m performance,
as I was on a business trip at the time. In fact, I missed out on the entire
Olympics - didn't catch the Opening nor Closing Ceremonies. As you can
imagine, I am dying to get my hands on all these broadcasts. As far as I
know, Rhanyel is also looking for the broadcast of the 400m. So if anyone has
something on tape, please let us know.

I have gotten a little carried away on eBay recently and hopefully will
remain the high bidder on some Cathy items. If anyone is interested, I'll
tell you all about the items once I get them.

Well, I think this'll do as my welcome note to you all and I hope to hear
from everyone soon.

All the Best,

Kat

Just wanted to write a little note to all.  Hope your weekend is going okay,
and that your not longer suffering from post-Olympics syndrome.  Tho, I think
I am.  Just Kidding.  I am still searching the web for anything about Cathy.
In the meantime, here is another picture.  Take care.
oh wait...not sure if I posted this.  But, you can order magnets with
pictures of Cathy from  <A HREF="http://www.just-win.com/">JUST-WIN presents
Mona's Magnets</A> .  Check them out!

Rhanyel

Hi!  Okay..well still searching for news on Cathy.  I am attaching a pic of a
magazine that is out in Australia.  Cathy is all over the magazines there!
OH.. if we were only there! LOL.

Also, welcome to the new member Kat!   She has wondeful news.  We can order a
book about cathy at amazon.co.uk    Just look up Cathy Freeman!  It is on
back order right now.  But, I am sure they are piling more up as we speak.
And it wont be the last book on wonderful Cathy!    So keep an eye out!

Take care!
Rhanyel

Nation's heroes take their magic to the streets


The Australian Olympic team 2000 had the run of Sydney town yesterday, and
collected the keys to the city. Photo: RICK STEVENS


By TONY STEPHENS
10:45PM, Oct 03

Sydney was possessed by good spirits yesterday, when the sun-touched heroes
came to the people in their streets for a final Olympic love-in. By last
night, both
heroes and people wondered how much love could possibly survive this morning.

There was the Premier, Bob Carr, dropping his left knee on the Town Hall
steps,
taking in his right hand the right hand of a stunned Cathy Freeman and
kissing it. The
Premier is the sort of person who knows that serious exercise has damaged
friends,
but we are all sports fans, for now.

''I can't believe you did that,'' the gold medal-winning, cauldron-lighting
Freeman
said. ''You are far too modest,'' said the Premier.

There was Kieren Perkins, taking Georgia, his daughter of three years, from
the
arms of his wife, Symantha, and carrying the girl to the steps. Georgia had
been
crying in the crush of the crowd. On the steps with her swimming hero father,
she
clapped her hands with joy.

There was Grant Hackett, the 1500m swimming gold medal around his neck,
standing in the back of a car and leading the crowd in the ubiquitous chant:
''Aussie,
Aussie, Aussie, Oi, Oi, Oi!''

Not everyone can be a hero. Some people have to stand on the pavement to
cheer
as the heroes pass by. Inspector Dave Darcy estimated that about 200,000
people
had lined the streets from the Opera House yesterday and about 60,000
gathered
around the Town Hall.

Office workers threw shredded paper from high-rise buildings, like guests
with
confetti at a wedding. If this Olympic marriage between athletes and people
were to
last, it might give birth to a new religion for the 21st century.

The great wave of public will that carried the Olympic torch around Australia
and
around the Olympic venues finally washed up on the city streets.

As has often been the case in the past two or three weeks, Cathy Freeman saw
to
the heart of the day: ''We are not untouchable. We are normal people and this
is one
way of thanking Australians who supported us.''

She told the crowd later: ''You guys are heaven. You have provided everybody
with
the most amazing moments of their lives and memories we will all treasure
forever.''

The Premier explained his unrehearsed act of homage: ''I am not very often
celebrity-struck but there is an aura about her. She does represent a lot
about this
country, indigenous and non-indigenous. She is a symbol of unity.''

Mr Carr thought the Olympics the biggest celebration in Sydney since
Federation
Day on January 1, 1901, and perhaps the biggest single event since Japanese
midget
submarines entered the harbour in 1942.

He told the athletes: ''The pure gold of your mighty spirit comes from all
over
Australia ... You've shown the world the best of Australia ... not just the
muscle of
Australia but its marrow, not just its heart but its soul.

''We thank you for the magic and the music and the glamour ... We thank you
for the
courage you have shown is there in all of us.''

Nearly a thousand members of the Australian Olympic Team - 599 athletes and
378
officials - joined the parade to the Town Hall, where Olympic team captain
Andrew
Gaze accepted the key to the city.

Michael Knight, the Olympics Minister, disappeared inside the Town Hall
saying:
''Today's not about me. We're all here to cheer the athletes.'' Lord Mayor
Frank
Sartor said Mr Knight was watching the parade with his family.

Swimmer Susie O'Neill almost lost her voice but gained a green and gold teddy
bear
and flowers. ''It's made me feel so proud to be Australian,'' she said.

Tatiana Grigorieva, the pole vaulter who came from Russia to interest a
million or so
Australian males in her sport, warned that those who wanted to try it should
realise it
is dangerous, especially with a few beers on board. She added: ''I feel very
Australian today.''

Brent Livermore, hockey player: ''It's amazing - Sydney's been buzzing for so
long,
and now this. It's going to be a little bit sad but today it's just
incredible.''

Swimmer Daniel Kowalski said: ''I never knew Australians could be so
patriotic.''

Andrew Hoy, equestrian: ''I'm just exhausted and this is a different sort of
stress. My
hand hurts from signing autographs.''

Jai Taurima, the long jumper, wondered what everyone would do the next day.

Right at the end, air blasters blew shredded green and gold paper at the
heroes. The
wind changed in George Street and much of the paper fell on the people, who
were
happy to leave it in their hair and on their clothes.

Aussie, Aussie, Aussie: Joy! Joy! Joy!
  Mass appeal ... the crowd waits for the athletes near the town hall. Photo
by Peter
Rae


On a sparkling Sydney afternoon, Australia's Olympic team were feted in a
tickertape parade before being presented with the keys to the city by Lord
Mayor
Frank Sartor at the Town Hall.

Thousands of people lined the streets to hoot and pay tribute to the team's
outstanding achievement of 58 medals.

Basketball skipper Andrew Gaze, accepting the keys to the city, praised
Australians
for the support they had given the team.

Mr Sartor also presented the keys to the city the Sydney 2000 SOCOG team. He
gave them to Premier Bob Carr to pass on to Olympics Minister Michael Knight.

SOCOG chief executive Sandy Hollway - sidelined by Olympics minister Mr
Knight
during the games - was in the VIP welcoming lineup, along with IOC member
Phil
Coles.

The crowd jammed George Street for three city blocks, stretching from Market
through to Goulburn streets. The biggest cheer at the Town Hall was reserved
for
beach volleyball gold medallists Natalie Cook and Kerri Pottharst, who
remarked
that while they thought the roar at Bondi had been loud, the ticker tape
parade was
even better.

Tribal elder Vic Simms welcomed the crowd, saying that the Olympics had been
a
great event, but now the real marathon - reconciliation - was in front of
them.

Lord Mayor Frank Sartor told the crowd: "These are the best ever teams, the
best
ever Olympic games, in the best city in the world."

Gold medallist Cathy Freeman said the parade was a great way for Australia's
athletes to say "thank you".

She said the constant requests for autographs and photos were a little tiring
but it
made her feel special. "It means a lot to me," she said.

"We are not so untouchable, we are all very normal, all one of the same."

"I just want to let people know how happy they have made us feel by thanking
them."

In the parade's lead car was archery gold medallist Simon Fairweather.

The second car in the parade contained Australia's outstanding athletics
performers
including Freeman and pole vaulter Tatiana Grigorevia alongside Australian
Olympic
committee president John Coates.

The parade got underway shortly after midday led by the navy band playing
Waltzing Matilda.

Earlier, Australia Post motorcyclists handed out free flags to the crowd.

Altogether 977 members of the Australian Olympic Team - 599 athletes and 378
officials - were in the parade.

Great expectations


Hits and misses ... (from top) Australia's Cathy Freeman, Dutch swim
sensations Inge de Bruijn and Pieter van den Hoogenband, pool revelation
Leisel Jones, Russian gymnast Svetlana Khorkina and the disappointing
Matt Shirvington. SMH photos.



10:10PM, Oct 02

Some athletes surpassed everything that was expected of them at the
Sydney Games, others fell well short, writes Ian Cockerill.

The look on Matt Shirvington's face after the 100 metres semi-finals
said it all. This was not the way it was meant to be (eyes widen). This
was not my Olympic dream (mouth trembles). This sucks.

Expectations came in many forms at these Sydney Olympics. Foremost were
those of the athletes themselves. Where did they believe they could
finish when the last second, the last shot, the last whistle, the last
pitch was done? With a gold medal around their necks, a bouquet in their
hand and an anthem in their throats? Or was it about making a final, or
simply recording a personal best?

If the athletes' hopes were paramount, it didn't stop others harbouring
expectations on their behalf. Families, coaches and sponsors set their
own targets. And there was public expectation, too. Each, in its way, as
real as the athletes'.

That said, who surpassed all expectations at these Games? And who fell
short, left to rue an opportunity missed after turning the scene over in
their heads for at least four years?

In the tradition of top-10 lists, and with an unapologetically personal
view, we present five overachievers and five underachievers.

Winners first ...

Inge de Bruijn/Pieter van den Hoogenband

We'd heard their names before, even if we struggled to master the
pronunciation. We'd noted reports of world records from Europe. But we
had no idea how good the Dutch pair was until they threatened to upstage
Ian Thorpe and Co during a stunning week in the pool. Late bloomer
''Inky'' de Bruijn kicked off the two-pronged campaign with a world
record to win the 100m butterfly, her ninth world record in five months.
The next night, van den Hoogenband outstripped Ian Thorpe to win the
200m freestyle in world record time, delivering Holland's first male
Olympic gold in the pool. By the time they'd finished they had five gold
between them, a swag of world records and our undivided attention.

Liesel Jones

Brisbane schoolgirl Liesel ''The Weasel'' Jones was 10 when she watched
Samantha Riley swim in Atlanta. Less than four years later she shunted
her idol from the Australian swim team by winning the 100m breaststroke
at May's Olympic trials. She arrived in Sydney after her 15th birthday
with relatively modest expectations of making the final. Wise heads
waited to see whether she'd turn to jelly against seasoned campaigners
in front of feverish crowds. But these Olympics seemed to be made for
Jones girls. Liesel swam the race of her life to take silver behind
American Megan Quann and in front of defending champion Penny Heyns,
bettering Riley's Australian record for good measure. ''Oh my God!''
exclaimed Liesel afterwards. Oh my, we say.

The Opals

Some hours before the Hockeyroos won another Olympic title, the
Australian women's basketball team stepped on court against Brazil
looking to strike a blow for their own sport by progressing to the gold
medal play-off. In 17 attempts, no Australian basketball team had been
that far before. Inspired by retiring captain Michele Timms, the Opals
beat the Atlanta silver medallists to earn a showdown with Olympic
heavyweights the United States. They fell 76-54, but succeed in raising
the bar for Australian hoops. Now it's over to the men.

Cathy Freeman

It isn't so much that she won the 400m final to secure Australia's first
track gold since 1988. In isolation, that pretty much met with
expectations. But Cathy didn't do it in isolation. She did it despite
what might have proved for many an unbearable weight of public goodwill.
She did it despite taking on the responsibility of lighting the Olympic
flame, no easy task for someone naturally shy. She did it despite having
to find the path between the often-conflicting agendas of her Aboriginal
people and middle Australia. And she did it despite the giant
distraction of her Atlanta nemesis, Marie-Jose Perec, until her farcical
flight back to France. To have withstood all that and still win so
convincingly - in that, she has exceeded everyone's expectations.

The Cameroon football team

There's something about watching one of the world's less privileged
nations win its first Olympic gold medal. And the Cameroon footballers
did it in the most dramatic fashion possible, beating Spain 5-4 on
penalties after scores were level 2-2 after extra time. The unfancied
Africans pulled the fat out of the fire in Saturday's gold medal game at
the Olympic stadium, recovering from 2-0 down at half-time to force the
game to 120 minutes against a flagging Spain reduced to nine men.
Earlier, the Indomitable Lions had won games with nine men themselves
(against Brazil, no less) and with last-minute penalties (against the
classy Chileans). They'll be dancing in Yaounde for weeks.

Honorable mention ...

Simon Fairweather (archery gold), Lauren Burns (taekwondo gold), Kerri
Pottharst and Natalie Cook (beach volleyball gold), Scott McGrory and
Brett Aitken (track cycling gold), Jai Taurima (long jump silver),
Tatiana Grigorieva (pole vault silver), Maria Pekli (judo bronze),
Annemarie Forder (10m air pistol bronze). And on the international
front, Kenya's Noah Ngeny (we didn't think anyone could beat Hicham El
Guerrouj over 1,500m), Misty Hyman (America's 200m butterfly gold
medallist, deposer of Susie O'Neill), British rower Steven Redgrave (can
one man really win five golds at five Olympics?), Swede Lars Froelander
(for upstaging Michael Klim and Geoff Huegill in the 100m butterfly) and
Iranian super-heavyweight Hossein Rezazadeh (a bolter who set three
world records to snatch gold).

And at the other end of the spectrum ...

The Olyroos

So much build-up, so much anticipation, but not a single point from
three games. It was always going to be tough in a group containing the
pedigreed Italians, defending champions Nigeria and central American
surprise packets Honduras. It wasn't made easier when stars Harry Kewell
and Paul Okon were ruled out with injuries. But we did have Mark Viduka,
and home-ground advantage, beginning with 90,000 at the MCG for the
tournament opener against the Azzuri. But it all went sour on Raul
Blanco's boys. Defender Hayden Foxe got the ball rolling with a suicidal
play to gift the Italians the decisive goal, then Simon Colosimo
followed his lead to give the Nigerians a 3-2 win at the SFS. Then came
a 2-1 loss to Honduras. Ouch.

Emma George

We knew the woman who had set multiple world records was struggling.
We'd heard about her waning confidence since missing a mat and injuring
herself. We knew the competition was getting tougher. But we could not
have imagined that George would be swamped by her opposition, the
25-year-old from Perth failing to make the final after missing three
times at 4.30m. George offered no excuses. The tears in her eyes when
asked what her future held spoke volumes.

Matt Shirvington

Shirvington surprised even himself with his progress towards breaking
the 10-second mark over 100m. It was two years ago at the Commonwealth
Games in Kuala Lumpur when he ran 10.03. In August he ran 10.11 at the
Olympic trials. Anything near those times would have got him a ticket to
the big gig, the 100m men's final. Instead, Shirvo's campaign came to a
grinding halt in the semi-finals when he ran 10.26 to finish fifth, one
place away from the final. If anything, he looked even more distraught
afterwards than he was at last year's world championships, where he was
disqualified in the semis for breaking. He is young. He is entitled to
have off days. Bring on Athens.

Svetlana Khorkina

We were led to believe the 21-year-old Russian gymnast represented the
apex of her sport - four world championships, Olympic gold from Atlanta,
a lovely smile and an acting career on hold. But everything went awry
when she twice fell during her routines, torpedoing Russia's hopes of
team gold and her own chances in the individual all-around final. She
wasn't helped by the vault being set five centimetres too low. Things
didn't improve when she withdrew from the vault final, nor when she was
pipped for the floor exercise gold by compatriot Elena Zamolodtchikova.
Some pride was finally restored when she won gold on the uneven bars.

Naim Suleymanoglu

Bulgarian-turned-Turk Suleymanoglu arrived in Sydney looking for an
unprecedented fourth weightlifting Olympic gold medal in the 62kg class.
The 33-year-old, owner of more than 80 world records, predicted he could
win gold ''more easily than in Atlanta ... silver or bronze is nothing
to me''. Where does that leave failing to even register a lift? For that
is what the shocked spectators at Darling Harbour saw when he came out
for his first lift in the snatch, having asked for the bar to be set
with an Olympic-record 145kg. When he failed to get his third attempt
square to his shoulder it was over. Perhaps the answer lay in his wry
smile afterwards - he had arrived with limited preparation, agreeing to
compete only after being pressured by Juan Antonio Samaranch.

Regretful mention goes to ...

The Australian rowers (no golds after leading the world in Atlanta), the
Australian baseballers (just two wins from seven games), the Australian
men's hockey team (breaking hearts again after a penalty shoot-out loss
in the semi-final).

On the international front, Donovan Bailey (the defending 100m champion
failed to make the final), the English swimming team (no medals for the
first time since 1936), and the Brazilian and Italian football teams,
both gone by the semi-finals.

Champ with a chunk of metal offers her inspiration


Champion experience ... Cathy Freeman went to Redfern yesterday to show
off her gold. Photo: Brendan Esposito


By TONY STEPHENS
7:01PM, Oct 02

The champion said she was still embarrassed that people cared about what
she had to say. She is a runner, not a talker.

Yesterday, however, was different. Cathy Freeman had gone to Redfern to
talk, not run, to play with the black kids round a basketball hoop and
to sign autographs. She had gone ''to do some positive things'' and,
perhaps, to offer inspiration. She had taken her gold medal.

The champion said she normally did not care for ''chunks of metal'' but
this chunk was different because she had dreamed about it since she was
a little girl.

Her husband, Sandy Bodecker, took the medal, with its blue ribbon, and
showed it to the children and their parents. Some touched it. Some wore
it around their own necks for a few moments, dreaming their own dreams.

Kalkani Choolba, 6, conducted her own medal ceremony. The champion
lowered her head for the child to place a wooden necklace round
Freeman's neck.

Freeman has visited Redfern before and had said that she wanted to
return, after finishing her Games business. Nike, sponsors of Freeman,
has been criticised for exploiting workers in third-world countries but
helped rebuild facilities at the Redfern Police Citizens Youth Club
after last year's hailstorms. Freeman took Nike caps for the kids.

Club officials asked the children not to mob their hero and the children
obeyed. Most, after all, were content simply to be in her presence.

Many were surprised that, at 157.5 centimetres, she was not much taller
than they were, and shorter than some boys and girls. The hero had
loomed much larger in their minds.

She patiently answered their questions, although some were lost for
words in her presence.

''It's still sinking in,'' she said of her Olympic experience. ''I'm
really happy, and really proud of myself.''

She had been embarrassed at being asked to light the cauldron and
concerned about slipping over in the water.

What about the morning of her big race, the 400 metres?

''Everybody did their best to make me feel very nervous. My mother and
family were driving me nuts. They were getting toey and very
sentimental, talking about my late father and sister and grandmother. I
told them to go away until after the race.''

There had been times chasing that childhood dream when she had not felt
up to it. ''I panicked. I felt really scared.''

And when the race was run and won?

''I felt the weight of the world came off my shoulders. I sat down on
the track because I wanted to feel normal. My life is not normal,
especially now.''

Freeman said of the chunk of metal: ''I try not to go crazy, but it's
something I can show my children and grandchildren, so they will believe
me.''

What about the hooded bodysuit?

''I don't like drawing attention to myself. I felt a little silly, but I
was so focused on running that I didn't care what I looked like. I could
have been wearing a tutu and high heels.''

What about the medal presentation?

''I was a bit distracted because I could see my mad family going nuts.
They had Aboriginal flags around their necks like superheroes.''

Embarrassed at being asked to leave a message for Aboriginal children,
Freeman tried one: ''There are lots of opportunities and heaps of people
who can help. It's really important to make the most of your
opportunities and don't be afraid to reach out for help.

''Have a goal. Life is too short. Deep down inside I never stopped
trying. I always believed I could do it. It's hard to be positive
sometimes, but try to believe in yourselves. OK?''

Kyra Kumsing presented her with gifts, including Kerrie Gilbert-Read's
book The Strength of Us Black Women, a little shirt for the baby they
hope she will have one day and a cap with the Aboriginal flag for the
American Bodecker.

The champion runner and the champion of her people sat down to sign
autographs, often across the golden sun of the flag.

''The Aboriginal community gets a kick out of me being around,'' she
said. ''I love to see the happiness in their eyes.''

The Sydney Morning Herald

Good morning,

Have to say that I was a bit sad at seeing the Olympics over!  But, what
beautiful clips we were shown at the end, huh?  The great moments of Cathy
lighting the cauldron and her 400m win!  She is just it!  Gonna be searching
the internet for any news of her upcoming races.  If I do find anything, I
will let you know.  Until then, here is a fun read and a pic of Cathy.

Hope you enjoy it as I did.
Rhanyel

From Nike Melbourne Track Club, a question and answer session with them and
Cathy Freeman.

General Interests

Training partners:  Pat Seal, Jason Richardson, Cameron MacKenzie and Mark
Moresi

Greatest influence on career:  Parents

Role model as a child:  Raelene Boyle, Carl Lewis and Flo-Jo

Role model now:  Raelene Boyle and Carl Lewis

Do you have any pets?  Frankie the dog

What do you say to people who take performance enhancing drugs?  Taking drugs
to me is like taking a short cut - it’s cheating

Which cartoon character best sums up your character?  Probably the Road
Runner because he moves very fast and doesn’t particularly do a lot of
talking. His legs do the talking for him

If your home was on fire what would you save first?  My dog, definitely

Your dream career outside athletics?  To be in an influential position in the
media or television industry

If you were told you had a minute to live, what would you do?  Be on the
telephone to my mother

Your favourite smell?  Red roses

What makes you depressed?  Injustices, war and lack of respect for each other

What is under-rated in this world?  Peace!

What is the important lesson life has taught you?  Life is what you make it!

What do you eat that you know you shouldn’t?  McDonalds and desserts, but
very rarely do I eat this of course!

Tell us about your first date.  I was too scared to go on my own, so I took,
or rather dragged a friend along with us

Favourites

Favourite nightspot:  Heat nighclub

Favourite food:   Pasta, Japanese, Italian, Mexican, Seafood

Favourite drink:  Water

Favourite TV show:  Quantum Leap

Favourite movie:  Crimson Tide

Favourite sport (apart from athletics): AFL football

Favourite holiday spot: Broome - W.A.

Favourite athletic track:  Monte Carlo

Favourite music: Tiddas, Live, Third Eye Blind, Everclear, Midnight Oil,
Hoodoo Gurus, Savage Garden, etc.

Least Favourites

Food:  Steak

Drink:  Rum

Sport:  Boxing

Athletic track:  Williamstown

Band:  Green Day

Athletics

How/When did you first become involved in athletics?   My first race was when
I was 6, in grade 1 in Mackay, QLD. My teacher told me to run so I did!

What made you become involved in athletics?   I really enjoyed it, and
winning was so much fun too!!!

When did you realise you had a special talent?   My Stepfather told me when I
was 10 years old that I was one day going to be running in the Olympics

What made you decide to choose your particular events?   I ran the 100 metres
because it was the shortest, and all 100 metre runners run the 200 metres as
well. I moved up to the 400m in 1992 because I am much better suited to it
physically

How often do you train?   Twice a day except on Sunday and my full rest day
is Saturday

What does training generally involve?   Track work, hill work, weight work,
circuit work, plyometric work

Do you have to adhere to a special diet? What does this include?   I don’t
have a special diet. I eat very sensibly. A lot of protein, and low fat
eating habits are ideal. I don’t eat a lot of bread, rice or pasta. Water
based foods are excellent

What are your greatest triumphs/highlights on an athletic track?  (1) Olympic
Silver at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta for the 400m. (2) Winning a World
Championship title for the 400m in 1997

What is your greatest disappointment on an athletic track?  1995 World
Championships when I placed 4th in Gothenburg, Sweden. I was terribly
disappointed because I thought I could win

At which stadium do you most enjoy competing?  Monte Carlo is palatial, a
very grand stadium, very pretty to look at. The actual surface is very well
maintained too

Do you have a pre-race routine?   Usually I like to have an hour's nap before
I go to the track, leaving an hour to prepare and to properly wake up. I get
to the track with about 1½ - 2 hours before warming up. I warm up 1½ hours
before the start of the race. I like to eat 3 hours before

Do you have any pre-race superstitions?   Absolutely not !

What was your most embarrassing moment on an athletics track?   I dead-heated
with another competitor. I threw myself at the finish line way too soon,
causing me to go flying through the air, landing on my stomach. I got slight
concussion and could hear the crowd go, "Ahhhh!!!!"

Of all the athletic meets you have competed at, what has been your most
memorable moment?   Definitely 1996 Olympics in Atlanta

Who do you consider to be your toughest competitors?   Marie Jose Perec,
Marion Jones, Gwen Torrence

What is the best thing about being an athlete?   The general well being
especially physically which results in a high self esteem. The travel is
fantastic also

What are your goals for the future?   Better personal bests for the 100m,
200m and 400m. 1999 World Champion, 2000 Olympic Champion

What are your immediate goals?   Improve on my shorter distance.
Concentrating on getting back pure explosive speed

Fives

What 5 people would you invite to a dinner party?   Peter Garrett, KD Lang,
Whoopi Goldberg, Michael Jordan, Bryan Brown

Which people would you least like to invite to a dinner party?   Saddam
Hussein, Pauline Hanson

What 5 words best describe you?  Honest, Free-spirited, Determined,
Courageous, Loving

What things don’t people know about you?   I’m stubborn, I know how to play
the organ, I know enough karate to defend myself, I went to over 10 schools

Which 5 athletes do you most admire?   Carl Lewis, Nadia Comenici, Dawn
Fraser, Ron Clarke, Raelene Boyle

Which 5 things do you enjoy doing the most?    Horse riding, dancing,
running/training (most days), being with family, friends and Frankie,
travelling

Nike Melbourne Track Club

What do you perceive as the major benefits of the MTC?  The pressure is off
me in terms of responding to the demands of being Cathy Freeman. MTC takes
care of all the paperwork that comes with responding to requests and invites,
eg. Fanmail. Also, along with the other athletes, we share the media spotlight

Is the MTC a positive step towards professionalism of athletics?
Definitely, because the whole concept of MTC is about putting athletics in a
position that is healthy and prosperous. Concentrating on grass roots through
to the elite level, athletic achievements are shown to the public in a more
professional way

Best thing about being part of MTC?    Being part of a team for a change.
Having fellow club members and a back up support group makes life better and
more enjoyable !!!

What does MTC do for you as an athlete?   Definitely saves me time and
effort. MTC makes my responsibility, which is solely to be the best athlete I
can be much easier than before

Sydney 2000

How much pressure is there to perform well at the Sydney Olympics?   A
tremendous amount, especially the pressure I feel from within myself. I will
however, deal with it, and deal with it well

Are athletes already turning their focus onto these Games?   Definitely.
Everything up until then is pretty important, both physically and mentally
for Aussie 2000 Olympians

What do you see as the major benefit of holding the Olympics in Australia?
The opportunity for this country to show just how great we are

Injuries

Have you had any serious injuries?   No, thank God. I’ve had niggles though.
A strained calf was my most serious injury

Did you have confidence that you could return bigger and better than ever?
I become very frustrated when I can’t train so I learn patience. After
recovering, I continue much more enthusiastically to do well

How long did the injury/s put you out of action?   I couldn’t run for a week,
which really is nothing, although it doesn’t feel like that at the time

Hello.  I think I got on this group and wanted to try.  Thanks Rhanyel for
inviting me to the group.  Here is a picture of Cathy for you and who every
else is on the list.

Ara

alright..this is a test. lol.

::sigh:: okay..Cathy placed 7th last night.  But...you all just watch...she
is gonna fly in the relay!  You just watch!

Rhanyel