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Australia and its People › Society
What is the significance of Cathy Freeman to Australia?
- An Aboriginal athlete who won the 400m at the 2000 Sydney Olympics carrying both the Australian and Aboriginal flags
- The first Indigenous Australian elected to Parliament
- Australia's first Indigenous Governor-General
Why this is the correct answer
Cathy Freeman lit the Olympic cauldron at the Sydney opening ceremony and then went on to win gold in the 400 metres, making her victory one of the most emotional moments in Australian sporting history. Her celebration carrying both the Australian flag and the Aboriginal flag became an iconic image of reconciliation.