- Famoso won the gold medal in the 400 meter dash at the Sydney Olympics.
- He has made a surprising revelation about what he thought about that race.
- It comes as the university seeks to study how Freeman achieved greatness
Olympic icon Cathy Freeman has shared that Monash University is studying how she handled the nation’s expectations before winning gold in the 400 meters at the Sydney 2000 Games.
It comes after an extraordinary confession in which Freeman says he never fully realized his potential as an athlete despite his heroics to win gold at the Sydney Olympics.
Freeman’s victory, witnessed by 112,000 fans at the Olympic Stadium, is considered one of Australia’s most legendary sporting moments.
As the Paris Games approach, Freeman reflects on his career and says he could have run even faster in his defining race at the Sydney Olympics.
Freeman captured the hearts and minds of all Australians when he took Olympic gold in the spring 400 meters at the Sydney Games.
Surprisingly, Freeman has now said she could have run even faster and was even disappointed by her performance in Sydney.
Freeman’s main rival, Marie-José Perec, fled Australia before the big race after an alleged confrontation with a man at her hotel.
Her gold medal run, under immense pressure as home favorite and face of the Sydney Games, is a monumental part of Australian sporting history.
However, Freeman, now 51, believes she could have improved her performance if French star Marie-José Perec had competed against her.
“I didn’t run as fast as I could have. I let myself down,” she said.
It was a shocking confession, in which Freeman said she needed Perec by her side to bring out the best in herself.
“I had gotten used to having expectations placed on me,” Freeman said.
‘I almost needed it, because in some ways it helps you push yourself and push yourself beyond what you think you’re capable of.
“That being said, I don’t even think I’ve really reached my potential as an athlete, but that’s another story… Learning to let off steam is really important, and finding freedom in life is the key.”
Freeman’s career has inspired a host of new athletes, including Matildas star Mary Fowler.
Freeman said he would go into a dreamlike state when he ran and couldn’t remember anything that happened on the track.
Monash University is now looking to study Freeman and that dreamlike state to help better understand what made her a champion athlete.
Freeman also announced his collaboration with Monash University’s department of contemplative and conscious studies, focusing on his meditative “dream” state during the race.
He explained the importance of inner focus for athletes, describing it as mindfulness or meditation.
‘Before I emerged from under the stadium with the other seven competitors, the lights were intense. I was aware of the narrative around me: the story and the meaning. It wasn’t just about sport; it also involved social justice,’ she stated.
‘The last thing I heard was, ‘Go Cathy, go Cathy,’ from a brown-haired man.
Then I entered a trance or dream state. I didn’t hear anything until I crossed the line and thought, ‘Where am I? Someone help me understand it.’
That’s why Monash sees me as a symbol of meditation, mindfulness, being in flow or in the zone.’