Ath: Perec and Freeman end four-year wait to forget Sydney

AAP General News (Australia)
08-24-2004
Ath: Perec and Freeman end four-year wait to forget Sydney

Former rivals MARIE-JOSE PEREC and CATHY FREEMAN have affirmed their growing friendship
after meeting for the first time in four years.

The two 400 metre runners were supposed to race each other at the Sydney Olympics but
PEREC dramatically fled Australia days before her duel with the Australian.

The Frenchwoman left Sydney because of the antagonism she encountered in Australia.

In her absence, FREEMAN went on to claim the 400 metres title.

Four years on the former track foes have met to film a television interview which will
be aired in France today.

In the six-minute interview, PEREC and FREEMAN giggled like long lost friends while
FREEMAN admits she has always felt close PEREC, who in turn says she has a lot in common
with FREEMAN.

And FREEMAN says she felt shocked about the way in which PEREC had been treated upon
arriving in Sydney for the 2000 Games, saying sections of the media had been insenstive.

In hindsight, PEREC admits she should have approached the Australian media frenzy differently
by holding a press conference.

AAP RTV md

KEYWORD: OLY ATH FREEMAN (PARIS)

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