Cathy Freeman makes rare public Melbourne appearance

The Olympic gold medallist avoided any serious injuries during her sporting career but this week made a rare public appearance on the eve of the women’s World Cup – with crutches.

Cathy Freeman is seen on crutches at a Matilda's function this week.

OLYMPIC icon Cathy Freeman avoided serious injuries during her glittering career but a freak accident has literally stopped the Sydney gold medallist in her tracks.

The reclusive superstar made a rare public appearance last week to speak to the Matildas on the eve of the women’s World Cup.

Footage of Freeman’s meeting with the team in Melbourne before their friendly against France, was released this week and it showed the Olympic champion hobbling around with the aid of a crutch.

She even needed to elevate her left leg on a stool as she spoke to the players and posed for photos.

Page 13 understands Freeman suffered an unfortunate accident at home earlier in the year where she ruptured her achilles tendon, requiring surgery.

The 50-year-old has been quietly recovering at her Bayside home in Brighton but understood the enormity of the Matildas playing a World Cup on home soil and agreed to meet them.

Many players, including captain Sam Kerr and Indigenous stars Kyah Simon and Lydia Williams, have cited Freeman’s incredible gold medal 400m run at the 2000 Sydney Olympics as a defining moment of their childhoods.

Coach Tony Gustavsson surprised the team with the players thinking they were having another meeting about tactics.

He then started speaking about how they were going to need a lot of belief and heart over the next month before playing a three-minute highlight reel of Freeman’s gold medal race.

Then when the lights were turned back on, Freeman hobbled into the room.