AFP
19 September 2000 – Sydney - Cathy Freeman was embarrassed when she received the Olympic flame in front of three billion people at the opening ceremony, worried about what the world would think of an Aborigine lighting the cauldron.
She admits to being shy and as she waited for the global spotlight to fall on her, she knew she would have her critics. "When I got the flame I was really embarrassed," she told a press conference Tuesday.
"My main focus was being concerned what other people would think about Cathy Freeman being the one who was lighting the torch and all of the criticism.
"But all of that went out of my head when I got the flame from Debbie (Flintoff-King). "I just felt the absolute energy and emotion coming from all of the people in the stadium."
Asked if she thought some Australians would resent an Aborigine carrying the flame, she said: "You can't please everybody and everybody has different opinions and views. "Maybe I tend to focus too much on that in the world." Freeman, a beacon of Australia's cultural history and modern sporting success, lit the giant cauldron to the roars from a capacity crowd in Stadium Australia and a global television audience.
The choice of the world 400m champion was not only a tribute to her but to all women athletes in a celebration of 100 years of female participation in the modern Olympics.
She described the moment as a "big boost" to the Aboriginal community. "It was historical, it was extremely significant, it was a first," said the 27-year-old who has made it clear she wants to become an activist for indigenous rights when her track career is over.
"I think a lot of people got a kick out of me lighting the flame, including my mother of course, all the way along to Aboriginal people walking the streets of anywhere here in Australia."
Winning a gold medal would have a similar effect - if she achieves that goal she will be the first Aborigine to win Olympic gold in an individual event. "If I win they'll be really happy. I'm sure what I'm feeling a lot of people will be feeling." She said that as she grew older her emotions got stronger and her pride in her background more intense. "It's all positive stuff," she said, adding that she felt Australia had become a country of unity and opportunity for people of all backgrounds.