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10 Questions Australian track star Cathy Freeman
Cathy Freeman is the two-time defending world champion in the 400. She plans to go for gold in Sydney and to compete in the 200 against favorite American Marion Jones. Freeman was selected to light the Olympic Flame at the Opening Ceremonies. 1. How do you prepare yourself for your events? Really, the preparation is done on the track months before the event. There is plenty of practice from races before as well as races I've run in Europe and in the years past. Certainly 20 to 30 seconds before a race I try to be absolutely focused and relax at the same time. Usually, you are really aggressive, but you've got to have control. Finding the balance between totally being ready to go and being at peace with yourself as well is difficult. Usually your heart is beating really fast and that thought often crosses your mind because it feels like your heart is going to pop out of your chest. And it feels like everything around you isn't going on because you are so focused. It is almost as if there is a big jelly blob filled with colors and noises all around you, but you are not really sure what is going on. All I can see is the lane ahead of me. All I can hear is the starter giving the runners commands. It is only something you experience before an Olympic race. 2. What are you feeling as you are running your races? The focus is always relaxation, relaxation, relaxation. If I relax, I am able to run faster and cope with the pressure that say somebody on my inside or on my outside might be placing on me. It is really important to run my own race and to stay relaxed in order to cope with the pressure that another runner might be placing on me. It is a really nice feeling when you are headed to the home straight feeling like you still have heaps of energy in your body. If you can set it up properly in the first 250 meters, then usually the rest of the race takes care of itself. 3. What is your reaction to all of the Australian spirit, especially the excitement for track and field events? Well, I think it is really nice to see the support that track and field athletes, especially Aussies, are getting. The interest and support is really, really nice. It lifts us. We all bend together and become stronger. That's great. 4. What are your expectations for these Olympic Games? I'm just really determined to have a good time. I don't want this to be stressful. I have to admit that the attention is always really overwhelming. I'm such a shy thing, it's hard. I've come to understand it is part of the way this life that I have here is. It's just the way it is, but I still love running. I love running and I love competing. That is really simple. So, I'll just go out there with a lot of pride in my heart. I just want to go out there and do the best that I can and see how I go. 5. Do you feel that you have extra pressure on you because this is your home country where you are a star athlete and you lit the Olympic flame? I don't know what goes on in terms of how people see me. Most of the time that is how I deal with it all. So to hear you say that I'm the dame, that just absolutely cracks me up. I'm just going to have a fun time. I'm doing my darndest to do what I normally do at home, which is just chill out. I'm pretty relaxed. It is good. I'm all right.
6. How were you told that you were chosen to light the Olympic torch? I met in April in LA in a nice Italian restaurant with the SOCOG representatives. I was with my husband as well. They said they would like me to do this, to light the flame. Of course I was shocked and numb. My mind was totally blown away. How could I say no? And then after it sank in, I kept saying that I would understand if they changed their mind. I could think of so many other people who were quite appropriate for the job. Then it took about 10 minutes for people to explain to me that this was all right and this is why I should do it. I'm very, very honored. I'm very proud. It gave me an extra incentive to train even harder if that was possible. It gave me that extra focus. 7. How did you feel when you were lighting the flame? When I got the flame, I was really embarrassed because, more than anything, my main focus was being concerned about what other people would think about Cathy Freeman being the one to light the torch. With all of the criticism, I tend to think more about the negative side of it all. But all of that went out of my head when I got the flame from Debbie. I felt all of the energy and emotion from all the people in the stadium. It was an amazing moment for me. 8. Do you think that you lighting the Olympic flame was a big advancement for aboriginal people and what do you think it will do for reconciliation? It was definitely a big boost to the aboriginal community. It was historical and extremely significant. It was the first time this has happened. It as a tremendous honor for the aboriginal people. I don't like to comment on any political issues such as reconciliation, but I certainly think a lot of people got a kick out of me lighting the flame, including my mother. All the way along I've had aboriginal people walking up to me in the streets. People chose to see me as a symbol for all sorts of causes. Certainly what I'm more preoccupied with is that I personally got through it. I had a great time. It was a tremendous honor. I don't think I've really let it sink in yet. I'm so focused on the running and business aspects of things that I probably reflect on it until after the Olympics. 9. How do you think you represent aboriginal people in Australia? I like to typify any young aboriginal person in Australia today. We are living in a country of unity and enjoying the opportunities here that are for everybody of all backgrounds, cultures, religious interests, whatever. That's what I'm about; free to be who I am in my own home. I don't feel I have a particular responsibility to the indigenous people. But as I get older and my emotions get stronger, my pride in who I am becomes more obvious. 10. Are you staying in the Olympic village?
I'm not staying in the village, but I'm spending some time there. I like being around my teammates; it helps me relax.
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