Twenty-five years after the eyes of the world were fixed on her, Cathy Freeman stood in the same Sydney stadium on Monday, albeit in front of a much smaller crowd.

A quarter of a century earlier on September 15, Freeman lit the cauldron at the Sydney Olympics opening ceremony.

On Monday, she was among the first group of 10 inductees into Accor Stadium’s hall of fame at an event celebrating the anniversary of the Games.

Ten days after the opening ceremony in 2000, Freeman starred on an even more remarkable night.

“Every time I step back into this stadium, I’m reminded of that unforgettable night on September 25, 2000, when a sold-out crowd lifted me through the 400-metre final,” Freeman said.

“To think that 25 years have passed since the Sydney Games feels surreal, yet the memories rem

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