canny granny

Another athletic record for Australia

Australian athletes are a funny lot these days.

In my earlier incarnation as a young woman I cheered Dawn Fraser, a big, hulking, plain girl from a working class Sydney suburb, as she thrashed her way through the water to win gold medals for the 100 metres freestyle three times in a row. No one came near her winning time in 15 years either. She also climbed a flagpole at Emperor Hirohito’s palace to steal the Olympic flag.

Dawn has a place in my heart.

And then there’s Cathy Freeman of course. She burst into the Olympic spotlight at the 1996 Games, the first Aboriginal athlete to represent Australia. Cathy didn’t climb a flagpole but she took her victory lap at the 1994 Commonwealth Games with the Aboriginal flag. Good for you, Cathy.

But now Australia has teetered into the record books for the number of competitors (256) dashing their way around an 80m track at Sydney’s Circular Quay wearing three-inch heels. And not all women either - take another look at that photo.

The race was won by 400 metre professional hurdler Brittney McGlone by several clear lengths, netting her $5000, and a pair of gold stilettos. I ask you, would Cathy stoop to this?