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Sydney 2000 remembered: When Cathy was almost caught up in an opening ceremony failure

Peter FitzSimons Columnist and author September 20, 2025 — 5.11am Advertisement

In Sydney Town, it has been a week of reminiscing – last Monday being 25 years to the day since Cathy Freeman lit the Olympic Cauldron and a fortnight of magic began.

Of course, you pretty much have to be over 30 to mist up at the memories the way the rest of us oldies do. So, praise the Lord, pass me my pipe, and let me re-tell, one more time for the road, my favourite yarn from that night.

Stadium Australia Hall of Fame inductees from left: Mark Schwarzer (football), Brad Fittler (rugby league), Cathy Freeman (Olympian), Ian Thorpe (Olympian), John Aloisi (football), Louise Savag

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