‘My life is public enough’: Cathy Freeman on protecting 14-year-old daughter Ruby’s privacy
“Every mother is a lioness especially when it comes to the security and welfare of their child.”
It’s been 25 years since Cathy Freeman’s unforgettable moment at the Sydney 2000 Olympics, climbing the floating stairs through parting water to light the cauldron. Her gold-medal run in the 400m cemented her as one of the most inspiring Australians of all time.
Now 52, Cathy has channelled that fame into advocacy. Through Murrup (formerly the Cathy Freeman Foundation), she champions educational programs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children to fulfil their potential. In 2023, the Eastern Grandstand at Sydney’s Accor Stadium was renamed the Cathy Freeman Stand in tribute to her enduring legacy.
But despite being one of the nation’s most beloved public figures, Cathy is fiercely private when it comes to her daughter, Ruby.
Protecting Ruby’s privacy
With renewed attention on Freeman’s achievements thanks to the Paris Olympics and the ABC documentary Freeman, the proud mum has been careful to ensure Ruby is free to write her own story.
“My life is public enough,” Cathy said when Ruby was a toddler. “Every mother is a lioness especially when it comes to the security and welfare of their child, and I would never subject Ruby to that scrutiny.”
Cathy shares Ruby with former partner James Murch. The couple welcomed Ruby Anne Susie Murch in 2011. “Mum and my husband James were like rocks to me when I was pregnant,” Cathy blogged when Ruby was 16 months old. “Mum was fantastic. She stayed for two months in all. Two weeks before the birth and time after. I love to see her with Ruby. I have always respected Mum but it has become so much deeper.”
Motherhood, Cathy has said, taught her that asking for help isn’t a weakness. “I realised that I no longer could do everything for myself or on my own. I simply had to rely on James and my mum for their help and support.”
Raising a strong young woman
Speaking with The Australian Women’s Weekly in Septemeber, 2025, Cathy says: “I do find inspiration in my 14-year-old. She’s got a voice that’s just so strong, so clear – very annoying [she laughs] but strong and clear. And she makes me sit up and go, oh, you are actually right. And it’s a pretty amazing experience when that occurs because it makes you feel safe and good about the kind of character that she’s become.”
Motherhood, she adds, has taught her to be more empathetic and a better listener. “Listening, being present, trying to be attuned to who she is,” she says. “I think young people today… are just so astute. There’s less time to be on their own, to be grounded, to be listening to their inner voice or to be attuned to their true nature… The lack of ancient ways and the disconnect … it frightens me.”
As for Ruby’s future and whether she’ll follow in her mum’s sporting footsteps, Cathy says, “She does like sport, but I’d rather her take up music or art! She does really well at writing, which is nice.”
Parenthood’s challenges and lessons
Cathy has always been open about how motherhood shaped her. Speaking to Living Black in 2014, she said:
“If you want to talk about my fears and my vulnerabilities, my strength and my power… you’ll find the answers – I find the answers – about who I really am in the way in which I am a mother to this little girl. She tests me, she stretches me, she brings out the worst in me but she just brings out all of who I am. Parenthood’s tough, but I’m loving every single second of it even when I feel completely powerless.”
Her pregnancy wasn’t easy either. Diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, Cathy had to inject insulin four times a day, reduce sugar and exercise regularly. “I was just really concerned for the health of my unborn child,” she said at the time. “Diabetes isn’t fun, it’s a bit of a downer to be frank!”
And like many mums, she felt the sting of “mum judgment”. “It’s the pressure, the judgment,” she shared. “I feel such judgment but I think it’s natural and normal to feel it because you care. It’s not only from midwives but from my family and my mother and my aunts and all the really strong women in my family.”
Through it all, Cathy has focused on giving Ruby the tools to stand on her own. “There’s only one sport I’m keen for our little girl to do, and that’s taekwondo,” she once said. “Just for self-defence purposes, and for disciplinary reasons!”
Giving back to community
While protecting Ruby’s privacy, Cathy continues to work publicly for others. Since 2007 she has co-led what is now Murrup. The organisation partners with remote First Nations communities to deliver programs that give young people the freedom to self-determine their future.
“Growing up I had the opportunity to experience quality educational opportunities and the support to go with it,” Cathy says. “By going to school, I was able to recognise my potential as an athlete and fulfil my dream of achieving Olympic gold. Attending school opens up opportunities to learn, experience life and allows children to explore their talents. I believe education is the key to a positive pathway.”
Cathy Freeman remains a national icon but for Ruby, she’s simply Mum. And that’s exactly how Cathy wants it.
