Lakara Stallan: What Cathy Freeman told me during Reconciliation Week

I have been sprinting since I was 10-years-old, and throughout every step of my journey, one name has never left my mind . . . Cathy Freeman.

Growing up as a young Indigenous girl, role models who I could relate to were rare — but she was everything: the same sport, the same event, and so proudly Indigenous. Knowing Cathy had done it made me believe, without a doubt, that I could too.

For so many, Cathy Freeman represents the pinnacle of Australian sport. When you hear her name or hear people speak about her, it feels special.

I wasn’t even born when she competed at the Sydney Olympics in 2000. I didn’t get to watch her make history, but that race has impacted my life and shaped my athletics career profoundly. There are still people yet to be born, that she will have this same impact on.

I have always had the belief that I can make it, because of what she did that day in Sydney Olympic Park. Cathy’s example . . . her resilience and courage . . . is partly the reason why I haven’t quit, even when times have been tough, and injury has sidelined me.

I moved from Adelaide to Sydney in 2024 to train and continue to chase my athletic dreams. I train in the Sydney Olympic Park precinct and every day I drive in; I pass a massive billboard with a photo of Cathy running in her iconic suit at the 2000 Olympics. On the days I don’t feel like being there, I see that billboard and feel inspired. Just seeing that image every single day serves as a reminder of why I do this, and what I want to achieve. That’s the impact she has had on my life.

So, you can imagine how surreal it was for me to be in the same room as her last week.

The Australian Olympic Committee held a Reconciliation event in Sydney, launching the Indigenous artwork for the LA Olympics in two years’ time as well as announcing new scholarship opportunities within sport. It was a thrill to be in the company of some of Australia’s most iconic Olympians: Patrick Johnson, Nova Peris, Kyle Vander-Kuyp, and, of course, Cathy. All are proud Indigenous athletes who have inspired and continue to inspire. Hearing them all speak was special.

Patrick Johnson said something on the day that has stuck with me, and that is Reconciliation week is not just about this one week out of 52 weeks. He said it is every day of every week of every year. I think that is so important for everyone to remember.  

Something else that stood out was hearing and seeing how people reacted to meeting Cathy after the event. Everyone was giddy and circling around her just to be in her company for a few moments.

And yes, I was one of them!

I didn’t want a photo, I just wanted to speak to her.

When I finally got my moment, I introduced myself and she looked at me and said something so simple but so impactful.

“Just believe in yourself, that’s all you have to do,” she said.

I don’t know what came over me, but I choked up and started to get all teary. I then completely fangirled and told Cathy how much of an impact she had on me, and then she asked me for a photo!

The entire interaction caught me by surprise because it highlighted how much Cathy Freeman means to me. I never cry, and for me to get so emotional in that moment proved how deep her impact has been on my life.

Every person I spoke to who was lucky enough to meet her,  commented on how ‘magical’ it felt to be in her presence.

There aren’t many people in Australia like Cathy Freeman.

My moment with her has and will continue to inspire me even more than she already has.

Cathy Freeman’s legend gave me a reason from a young age to strive to be the best I can be. In one sentence, this amazing woman gave me words that now guide me as I follow her footsteps . . .

“Just believe in yourself, that’s all you have to do.”

And I promise, I will try my very best.

*Author Lakara Stallan was crowned Australia’s Women’s 200m track champion at last April’s 2026 National Championships in Sydney. A university journalism student, Lakara is also a New South Wales Institute of Sport scholarship holder who takes pride in representing Indigenous women in sport and hopes to inspire future generations to chase their own dreams through hard work and determination.