Matildas receive surprise visit from Olympic hero, Cathy Freeman

Those who have followed the CommBank Matildas for long enough would know who many players credit as being their sporting hero and inspiration.

The iconic moment at Sydney 2000 where Cathy Freeman, in her specially made Nike super-suit, stormed to victory in the 400m sprint to become Olympic Champion is one of the country's proudest moments.

The image of the proud Kuku Yalanji woman carrying both the Aboriginal and Australian flags during her victory lap was etched into history. No Indigenous Australian had ever won Olympic gold in Athletics and the last Australian woman to win a 400m Olympic gold medal was Betty Cuthbert at Tokyo 1964.

This moment caused a ripple effect inspiring future generations of athletes and the CommBank Matildas are no exception.

With the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 just days away, the timing couldn't have been more perfect for the team to receive an extra special dose of encouragement and inspiration.

Called into a team meeting by National Team staff, the CommBank Matildas had no idea what was waiting for them. An excerpt from Freeman's self-titled documentary was played on the big screen, and while the girls were distracted with their backs turned, an excited Freeman quietly crept in.

Once the video had finished, the lights were turned on and the team turned around to find none other than their sporting hero standing before them, ready to share guidance and advice for the massive opportunity that lay ahead of the team.

Freeman spent over an hour with the girls, answering a range of questions about that fateful evening on September 25, 2000, but also on topics like legacy, the pressure of expectation, self-awareness, balancing your head and your heart and the power of “the moment.”

There was one particular piece of advice that stood out to players and staff alike when Freeman was speaking about self-drive and motivation as an athlete.

“It comes from a place within. When you ask yourself, what are you doing here? What are you doing it for,” she said.

“And it’s because you love who you are when you’re doing it.”

After having a yarn, the players invited Freeman and her family for team dinner, where she was presented with a signed CommBank Matildas jersey.

It was an invaluable experience for the team who then went on to play France two days later, beating the World No.5 in front of over 50,000 people.

With a new arsenal of knowledge in their toolkits, the CommBank Matildas are ready to put what they’ve learned to use when the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 kicks off on Thursday.