Who Was Cathy Freeman? Introduce Your Students to Influential Female Athletes

Cathy Freeman is an Australian athlete who is considered one of the greatest track and field sprinters of all time. She was born in Mackay, Queensland, in 1973, and her Indigenous heritage comes from the Kuku Yalanji people in Far North Queensland. She began competing in athletics at a young age and quickly rose through the ranks to become one of Australia’s most successful athletes.

Freeman’s most notable achievements include winning gold in the 400m at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and becoming the first Australian Indigenous athlete to win an individual Olympic gold medal. Her win was particularly significant as it was achieved on her home soil, in front of a packed stadium of Australian fans. Freeman also won two gold medals at the Commonwealth Games, one in 1994 and another in 1998.

Freeman’s success on the track and her status as an Indigenous athlete made her a powerful symbol of unity and hope in Australia. Her iconic performance at the 2000 Olympics, where she carried both the Australian and Aboriginal flags during her victory lap, was a powerful statement of her identity and her pride in her heritage. Her ability to balance her personal identity with her role as an Australian athlete inspired many young people, particularly young Indigenous girls, to pursue their dreams and break down barriers.

Printable International Women’s Day Worksheets

International Women’s Day (IWD) is a great opportunity for teachers to celebrate the achievements and contributions of women throughout history and across the world. We’ve got a load of new resources coming for you to add to your ideas and even your biographical unit plans! 

We’ve created this informational reading activity pack as a way to introduce your students to a famous female athlete who serves as an inspiration to girls around the world. This printable resource pack includes the following

• Cathy Freeman Comprehension Passage and Questions
• KWL Chart
• Cathy Freeman Report Template
• Timeline Worksheet
• My Friend Cathy Writing Prompt
• Acrostic Poem
• Cathy Freeman Word Search
• Cathy Freeman Fact or Opinion Sort
• and more!

This resource pack would make a great addition to any biography unit or as a supplemental resource to pair with the book “Born to Run” by Cathy Freeman.

Easily Download & Print

Use the dropdown icon on the Download button to choose between the PDF or Google Slides version of this resource. 

Because this resource includes an answer sheet, we recommend you print one copy of the entire file. Then, make photocopies of the blank worksheet for students to complete. 

This resource was created by Lindsey Phillips, a teacher in Michigan and Teach Starter Collaborator.