PERTH, Nov 6 - Olympic gold medallist Cathy Freemansays she has no regrets about retiring from athletics -although she believes she could still compete with thebest in the world.
And the queen of the 2000 Sydney Olympics has alsodivulged that her need for speed is still overwhelming,revealing she wants to learn to fly helicopters and ridemotorcycles.
Freeman, speaking in Perth to promote her book `Cathy:Her Own Story’, again ruled out a comeback to the trackfollowing her retirement in July this year.
‘’(There are) no regrets whatsoever, but I guess Iwill always feel a little hint of discomfort knowingthat physically I am quite capable of doing so much morewith this running stuff,’’ Freeman told ABC radio.
The only thing I ever really wanted was one Olympicgold medal, and now I am interested in pursuing othergoals.'' After attempting two comeback races earlier this year,Freeman announced she was hanging up her spikes forgood. Today she said it would have been easier for her tokeep running badly than admit her athletics career wasover. It was a tough, tough decision,’’ Freeman said.
It would have been easier not to retire, to stay.But in another way it was the most unnatural thing tokeep running because my heart was just not in it. I consider my last race to be Sydney. The twofollowing races were just there to make me realise itwas time to stop. It made me realise what I needed todo.’’
The 30-year-old says she is is now concentrating onher new partner, actor Joel Edgerton, and fulfillingsome lifelong - if dangerous - ambitions.
``I want to learn to fly a helicopter, and I want toride around on a new motorcycle,’’ she said