
Cathy Freeman Among Sporting Legends Inducted Into Hall Of Fame
Australian sporting legend Cathy Freeman has returned to Accor Stadium on the anniversary of the Sydney Olympic Games as one of the first inductees in Stadium Australia’s hall of fame.
On Monday evening, Freeman was one of ten elite athletes to receive the honour, in the very same stadium where she lit the Olympic flame in the 2000 Olympic opening ceremony.
Joining her was legendary swimmer Ian Thorpe, footballers Mark Schwarzer and Mark Aloisi, rugby players Brad Fittler, Andrew Johns, Wallaby John Eales, and Paralympians Tim Sullivan and Louise Sauvage as inductees.
Each other athlete, except Thorpe, have a special connection with the stadium, delivering some of the greatest sporting performances of their career on its grounds.
Speaking to the 400-strong crowd, Freeman said her inclusion in the list was “deeply personal and humbling”.
“Every time I step back into this stadium, I’m reminded of that unforgettable night on September 25, 2000, when a sold-out crowd lifted me through the 400 metre final,” she said.
“To think that 25 years have passed since the Sydney games feels surreal, yet the memories remain as vivid as ever.”
Freeman was not the only featuring act of the opening ceremony to return for the occasion. Conductor for the 2000 ceremony, George Ellis, led a 25-piece orchestra in a reprise performance of Under Southern Skies, originally sung by a 13-year-old Nikki Webster, who was joined yesterday by her children, Skylah and Malachai.
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Hall of fame a “fitting tribute”
Nine-time Paralympic gold medallist and two-time Sydney Paralympic gold medallist, Louie Sauvage, was the only other woman on the list, with Premier Chris Minns drawing parallels between her and Freeman’s accomplishments.
“It gives me particular pleasure to honour Cathy Freeman again at Accor Stadium where we recently named a stand after Cathy, and it is even more special to induct her alongside Louise Sauvage, another truly great Australian,” he said.
“Louise, like Cathy, lit the flame at the Paralympics and then won gold under extreme pressure and with the whole nation cheering her on.”
The group were selected by a panel of sports journalists, administrators, and broadcasters, who will add more sporting heroes to the list every two years until 2031.
“The Stadium Australia hall of fame is a fitting tribute as we mark 25 years since Sydney lit up the world with the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games,” said NSW Minister for Sport and Tourism Steve Kamper.
“Beyond the ‘best Olympic Games ever’, this incredible stadium has hosted so many iconic moments.
“To induct legends like Andrew Johns and Brad Fittler, two of the greatest to ever play rugby league, alongside Wallabies icons John Eales and Jonny Wilkinson, is a wonderful way to celebrate the history of the game and the legacy of this great stadium.”