SYDNEY, 18 June 2003 — Cathy Freeman’s manager confirmed yesterday that the reigning Olympic 400-meter champion is considering retirement after a run of disappointing races but has made no final decision.

“She’s finding it hard to keep the motivation going and so she’s wrestling with all of that, but she’s made no decision and nor should she until she’s comfortable one way or the other,” Chris Giannopoulos said after meeting with Freeman in London on Monday. Giannopoulos told ABC radio that plans for the 30-year-old Australian sprinter’s next race were still up in the air as she considered whether or not to retire.

“There’s been a lot of speculation and that’s all it is - she’s made no firm decision - but I’d be lying if I said that wasn’t a possibility,” he said.

“It’s certainly something that has crossed her mind but she’s not made any decisions about it and won’t be pressured into doing so.” Freeman registered her worst 400-meter result in 10 years when she came in fifth out of a field of six in a race in the United States last month and then withdrew from a meet in France last weekend.

She has since been in London, where media reports say she has been discussing her future with friends.

Giannopoulos said it was clear Freeman was disappointed with her US performance, but he said she continued to train for the August world championships in Paris, where she could race the 4x400 meters relay.

“Cathy’s well, she’s just going through some challenging times at the moment ... like a lot of comebacks, there’s ups and downs,” he said.

“She’s just trying to weigh up whether she’s still got it in her to strive for the ultimate success ... for being the best in the sport that she’s been.

“She clearly knows she can do it, but it’s a case of whether she really wants to put herself through that any more,” Giannopoulos said.

Greene to Skip 100m

at US Championship

In Palo Alto, California, triple world 100 meters champion Maurice Greene will run only the 200 meters at this week’s US championships but will seek gold in both events at the world championships in August, his coach said on Monday.

“Maurice is right on track in the 100 meters,” coach John Smith said in a statement. “Knowing his goals, I need him to completely focus on the 200 meters this weekend.”

Greene has the fastest 100 meters time by an American this year (9.94 seconds). He had earlier said he wanted to compete in one round of the 100 at the US championships at Stanford University, which begin tomorrow “just to give people a show”.

Now he will run only the three rounds of the 200 at the meeting, which serves as the American qualifier for the world championships in Paris.