26.10.2007

Freeman receives Victorian sport gong

Recognising her outstanding contribution to Victorian sport, Olympic 400m gold medallist Catherine Freeman was last night presented with the Lord Mayor’s Award at the VicSport Awards.

The 34 year-old enjoyed an outstanding career that also included two world champion crowns, four Commonwealth Games gold medals and 14 national titles shared across the three sprint distances.

In accepting her award at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre, Freeman also revealed the creation of the Catherine Freeman Foundation - which will work to benefit underprivileged children in Indigenous communities, starting in far north Queensland.

Freeman’s honour was the third successive award for the athletics discipline, following the late Peter Norman (2006) and Judy Patching (2005). Steve Moneghetti received the award in 2001.

Norman, who passed away last year, won silver at the Olympic Games of Mexico City 1968 and still holds the Australian 200m record. However, he is best remembered for his position in the black power salute on the medal podium in Mexico City - in quiet support of the gold and bronze medallists Tommie Smith and John Carlos.

Athletics Australia held the Peter Norman Memorial 200m at this year’s Telstra A-Series Melbourne meet at Olympic Park.

Cyclist Cadel Evans was named Victorian Male Athlete of the Year (Frank Wilkes Award) from a field that included 50km walk world champion and world record-holder Nathan Deakes.

World Championships representative Sarah Jamieson was a nominee for Victorian Female Athlete of the Year (Kitty McEwan Award), won by basketball’s Penny Taylor.