Cathy Freeman had had one rehearsal to light the cauldron signifying the start of the Sydney Olympics 20 years ago today. But she wanted a second practice.
Coates’s statement, made 20 years after Sydney 2000, refers not only to his role in choosing Cathy Freeman to light the Olympic cauldron but ensuring they were the "Athletes Games", highlighted by Freeman winning a gold medal in the 400 metres 10 nights later.
He possesses a barely disguised distrust of the social elite, especially Melbourne’s privileged class and often fails to resist a devilish, occasionally dangerous, need to provoke them.So, it wasn’t tokenism when he chose a 28-year-old Indigenous athlete who grew up in a marginalised community in Queensland, elevating her high above the packed stands at Homebush’s Olympic Stadium to ignite the cauldron.
He should know – the Coates-Knight duo made many of the major decisions, including the choice of who lit the cauldron. Coates says, "I said I preferred Cathy because hers was the biggest sport on the Olympic program, plus the Indigenous aspect. I thought awarding the honour to an Aboriginal athlete would send a wonderful signal to the world."However, Knight claims he didn’t initially promote Cathy because he knew Coates had a deep sense of history in honouring past champions and a strong obligation to protect the current Australian team.
"She said, 'Why me? There are lots of great Australians'. I then justified it in the same way I had with Michael Knight, with a big emphasis on her being Aboriginal. I teared up a bit. I thought it was a big deal for our Games and our country."I did express some concerns that lighting the cauldron might undermine her performance but she simply said, ‘John, I like pressure. That’s when I perform at my best.
"I took a train to Windsor Castle one Saturday afternoon and met her in a railway refreshment room, where we had a cup of tea. I said, 'I know John Coates has raised the prospect with you, but I want to show you sketches of the cauldron and explain the ring of fire. You've got to be comfortable with it."'Knight then met Freeman when she returned to Australia.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
How Cathy Freeman's opening ceremony triumph came within a 'hair's breadth' of disasterThe world watched for an agonising four minutes as the Olympic cauldron became stuck on its way to the top of the stadium, but few knew just how close the 'sacred flame' had come to being snuffed out.
Read more »
How Cathy Freeman's opening ceremony triumph came within a 'hair's breadth' of disasterThe world watched for an agonising four minutes as the Olympic cauldron became stuck on its way to the top of the stadium, but few knew just how close the 'sacred flame' had come to being snuffed out.
Read more »
'I'm black and I'm the best there is': Freeman's run shone a light on raceTwenty years later, Cathy Freeman still sits at the end of the track in quiet bewilderment when reflecting on her Sydney Olympic gold medal triumph and what she went through to get there | mickgleeson
Read more »
'I'm black and I'm the best there is': Freeman's run shone a light on raceTwenty years later, Cathy Freeman still sits at the end of the track in quiet bewilderment when reflecting on her Sydney Olympic gold medal triumph and what she went through to get there.
Read more »
'It was world recognition': When the Olympic torch brought a bit of magic to my hometownI was a kid when the Olympic torch came right past my Launceston house, and I felt the eyes of the world watching us. It captured my imagination in a way I'll never forget.
Read more »