‘What a legend’: How Cathy Freeman helped put Qld in front
According to those who saw Queensland’s Olympic 2032 presentation there was one part of the presentation that wowed the IOC decision-makers - and it involved Cathy Freeman.
Peter Gleeson
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JUST a few weeks ago, Queensland’s 2032 Olympic bid chiefs – including premier Annastacia Palaszczuk – did a late night three-hour presentation to the International Olympic Committee.
Other countries such as Indonesia, India, Canada, China, Russia and Qatar did the same presentation, outlining why they should be the IOC’s choice as the preferred candidate for the 2032 Olympics.
Australia’s bid was already the front-runner.
According to those who saw the presentation, Queensland hit it out of the park. We nailed the narrative around our fiscal capability, economic and political stability, commitment to safety and security and putting the athletes first.
But there was one part of the presentation, orchestrated by Australian Olympic Committee president John Coates, that wowed the IOC decision-makers.
Her name was Cathy Freeman. You’ll remember her as the young Australian who took on the world at the Sydney 2000 Olympics and triumphed.
Her win in the 400m women’s final is still ranked as arguably the greatest moment in Australian sport. A nation held its breath for 49.77 seconds as she fulfilled her destiny after growing up in the Queensland sugar city of Mackay.
Who could ever forget Bruce McAvaney’s famous call. “This is a famous victory, a magnificent performance. What a legend. What a champion.’’
Freeman told the IOC selection panel that as a young Indigenous woman growing up in country Queensland she dreamed of Olympic gold.
She said Australia hosting the Olympics again in 2032 would breed a new generation of young, hopeful athletes.
She said sport was part of the “spirit of Australia’’ and as a sports-loving country the stands would be full and the participants would be celebrated. Her involvement was simply gold.