Cathy Freeman on Finding Herself Through Beauty
May 14 | 4 minute read
Words by Ruby Devlin
It’s part of the reason Australia fell in love with her during the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games – where the then 27-year-old carried the hopes of the nation on her shoulders as she ran in the 400 metre final.
The iconic race happened just 10 days after Cathy lit the cauldron at the Opening Ceremony, in front of a global audience of approximately 3.7 billion people.
“The operative word is surreal,” Freeman tells MECCA. “I’m a shy kid and to be in the middle of a stadium with 119,000 people and billions around the world watching, it’s surreal.”
Sitting in the makeup chair at MECCA Albert Park, the Westman Atelier highlighter on her cheeks replicating that aforementioned glow, Cathy reflects on the moment that made her a household name, when 8.8 million Australians tuned in to watch her – the first First Nations person to win Olympic gold in an individual event.
“My mindset since I ran my very first race is the same mindset I still held at those games… and it’s one I still have today where connection to my ancestors, being grounded, being authentic, being true to who I am, will always guide me on my path.”
During her career, Cathy says she tried to remain focused on performance and discipline. Speaking on identity, the proud Kuku Yalanji and Birri Gubba woman says it’s always been what’s on the inside that counts: “There’s this unspoken pressure [on female athletes] to not only perform at the highest level, but to also look a certain way while doing it – strong, but still feminine, polished, but not too intimidating. It can be exhausting and unfair.”
Since retiring in 2003, Cathy has enjoyed getting to know herself outside of athletics. Exploring her creativity, spending quality time with her family, being awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia and establishing the Murrup foundation – a not-for-profit organisation supporting First Nations young people in remote communities.
Throughout it all, the words ’Cos I’m Free remain tattooed on her right shoulder serving as a permanent reminder to remain true to herself.
“It’s a statement of strength and self-belief and it’s helped me deepen my yearning to have inner peace,” she explains. “It [informs] my whole existence, whether it’s my planning in the day, a conversation with my child or my mother or a working relationship with my colleagues, this freedom is like a soft light that infuses my everyday life.”
It’s a philosophy Cathy wants to pass along to her daughter, but the former Olympian is conscious to let her 13-year-old find her own interests, which at the moment includes all things beauty. It’s a way for the two to connect, explains Cathy: “I’m getting to share a beautiful bond with my daughter through MECCA while [exploring] that creative part of who I am.”
When Cathy reached out to get a makeup lesson to further connect with herself and her daughter, we couldn’t have felt more privileged to share in this journey.
“Whether it’s looking at different colours of eyeshadows, seeing the glow on my skin in certain lights, having fun shaping my eyebrow or being with myself for those moments, it’s self-care and, dare I say, a kind of a healing,”
While Cathy’s relationship to beauty has evolved throughout her life, she says some things remain unchanged. Mainly, her focus on bringing what’s on the inside, out and emphasis on how things feel rather than how they look.
“I’m 52 now. My friends and I recognise that we’re on a journey and change is inevitable, the ageing process is inevitable and so self-care, for me, has become more of a priority,
“[For example] cleaning my skin and not being so lackadaisical about it. It’s about paying respect to my skin and giving it the love that it deserves.”
Cathy admits that her recent journey into the world of beauty has felt, at times, overwhelming, explaining she didn’t have space to connect with that part of herself until now. But being with her daughter in MECCA gives her the permission to explore and relish in, as she describes it, “the joy of enhancing your own features.”
“It’s almost a restorative process of that light inside of us all… I see it even now, being here with my child. It’s a place to be playful and to feel at your best.”
You might be wondering what the gold medallist, mother and former Australian of the Year loved exploring most in store? Well, Charlotte Tilbury’s Magic Water Cream was a clear standout: “Oh my God! It was just so beautiful, so light and my skin immediately reacted so glowingly to it. It was gorgeous.” Kosas’ Cloud Set Baked Setting and Smoothing Powder and Westman Atelier’s Super Loaded Tinted Highlighter were also among her favourites.
“[Beauty] is about having fun, playing a little, and finding what makes you feel your best… [and] there’s something really powerful about being with yourself and being connected with your own beauty.”
