I was always surrounded by expectation from the very first race I ran as a 5-year-old. Cathy Freeman More Quotes by Cathy Freeman More Quotes From Cathy Freeman You got to try and reach for the stars or try and achieve the unreachable. Cathy Freeman track stars motivational I have been told many times that when I win I make my people proud to be Australian. I am Aboriginal, I am one of them and every time I win or am honoured like this it should be an example to Aboriginal people who may think they have nowhere to go but down. But more importantly I am an Australian and I would like to make all Australians feel proud to be Australian. Ours is a truly multicultural society and should be united as such. I would like to believe that my successes are celebrated by all Australians, bringing our nation together. Cathy Freeman leadership success believe I want to be a positive role model, especially for kids and Aboriginal people... When people see me, often all they see is another Australian athlete having a go. It isn't until they see the full Cathy Freeman picture that they realise how proud I am of my ancestry and heritage. I'd like a little more tolerance and acceptance of my culture and all the differing cultures that make up Australia. Cathy Freeman athlete leadership kids Twenty seconds before a race, there's absolute focus. The key thing is to achieve relaxation, but at the same to have absolute total control. You've got to find the balance between being totally ready to go and being really at peace with yourself as well. Cathy Freeman running sports peace Disappointment and adversity can be catalysts for greatness. There's something particularly exciting about being the hunter, as opposed to the hunted. And that can make for powerful energy. Cathy Freeman powerful disappointment leadership Realise there is always somebody else in the World who's not coping as well as you are. Cathy Freeman coping sports world I like looking feminine and I enjoy being a role model. I enjoy being a woman. It all comes down to having the confidence to be who you are. Cathy Freeman be-who-you-are role-models roles I think the greatest amount of pressure is the pressure I place on myself. So in a way I chose to be alone. Cathy Freeman track motivational thinking I am very determined and the sport is my passion. I believe I am born for running. Cathy Freeman running sports believe Peace, unity and harmony! Cathy Freeman harmony unity My story has resonated around the world. I am just Catherine, I just like to run. And I'll run with opportunities. Cathy Freeman opportunity running world With Alexander's cancer, I was definitely brought to my knees for the first time because of the fear factor. Cathy Freeman knees cancer firsts I felt so full of gratitude and humility that I clasped my hands in front of me, closed my eyes and said a silent prayer of thanks to God... I had at last achieved something I'd wanted for so long... My insides bubbled with happiness. It was a dream come true. Cathy Freeman gratitude dream sports I definitely do things on my terms, it may not seem that way but I actually do. Cathy Freeman term may way My mind is pretty made up that life for Cathy Freeman will be as an unmarried woman from now on. Cathy Freeman cathy made mind I made my first Australian senior team when I was 16, first Olympics when I was 19, and I retired. I'm 32, I retired four years ago, so a good third of my life or nearly a third of my life has been all about running. Cathy Freeman senior team running I've had my fair share of being dismissed. But I'm only about to turn 30. And when I finish running, I'm going to be a dangerous woman. Cathy Freeman dangerous share running My feelings tried to control me on my run. I had to concentrate fully on forthcoming running and success. I wanted to triumph. Cathy Freeman triumph feelings running I'm certainly not ready to go changing the world overnight right now. I'm completely uninformed about a lot of our issues, a lot of the nation's issues, not just Indigenous issues. Cathy Freeman uninformed issues world When I'm in a bad mood, I don't listen. Cathy Freeman mood bad-mood
