In 1997 Cathy Freeman became Australia's first female World Athletics championship champion, taking out the 400 metres ahead of a stacked field. It would be the first of Freeman's world titles in a stunning career that culminated in an Olympic gold medal three years later on home soil in 2000.
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00:00 (upbeat music)
00:02 In 1997, Cathy Freeman made history
00:17 by becoming Australia's first indigenous world champion.
00:21 Despite losing just once in the run up to Athens,
00:25 her season had been fraught with issues off the track.
00:28 Never more comfortable than when racing,
00:30 Freeman eased her way into the final,
00:32 only to find herself in the inside lane
00:35 against a high caliber field,
00:37 including the 1993 champion, Joe Miles-Clark,
00:40 and the world indoor champion, Sandy Richards.
00:44 - Everywhere.
00:45 - All the way cleanly, first time.
00:49 Good start made by Cathy Freeman on the inside.
00:51 But not much to choose between this very closely matched
00:54 field.
00:56 As we look at Ogan Koya, then Joe Miles-Clark,
00:59 but look at Britt Breuer,
01:00 in the white vest of Germany out there.
01:01 She, I think, has got a marginal lead.
01:03 Still Britt Breuer as they come into the home straight.
01:06 Just inside her is Sandy Richards,
01:08 then Miles-Clark, Ogan Koya.
01:09 They're almost in alignment.
01:10 Freeman now on the inside.
01:11 Freeman is coming through and charging down the home straight.
01:14 Freeman it is who leads.
01:15 She's got Ogan Koya in three, Miles-Clark in four.
01:18 Sandy Richards finishing very fast indeed.
01:20 Freeman, Richards, has she done enough?
01:22 No, Freeman takes it on the line
01:24 from Sandy Richards in third place.
01:27 Cathy Freeman has become the first Australian woman
01:31 to win a world title.
01:32 (upbeat music)
01:35 [BLANK_AUDIO]