Sydney Readies for Olympic Anniversary

(ATR) Former Sydney Olympics Minister Michael Knight steps back into the spotlight along with Cathy Freeman for 10th anniversary celebrations of the 2000 Olympics.

Olympic gold medalist Cathy Freeman, Paralympic gold medalist Louise Sauvage and the late Juan Antonio Samaranch are to be honored in the Sep. 15 events.

Freeman will re-light the cauldron that she lit during the opening ceremony 10 years ago, accompanied by Sauvage.

The media shy Knight will also make an appearreance at the events, officially hosting celebrations in his role as chair of the Sydney Olympic Park Authority, which runs the site that housed the key Sydney Games venues.

Celebration organizers plan to rename ‘The Overflow’ park – near the location of the original Games cauldron "Cathy Freeman Park".

Organizers are hoping as many as 47,000 of the Games volunteers from a decade ago will turn out for the event and replicate the festive atmosphere that helped Sydney earn its "best ever" grade from former IOC President Samaranch.

At an event to announce the celebration events, beach volleyball gold medalist Kerri Pottharst recounted the unique Sydney 2000 experience.

"It was a once in a lifetime experience never to be matched or forgotten," she said. "That buzz will always be remembered and treasured."

Sauvage, who also took part in the Australia Olympic Committee-hosted media event said: "It was the most amazing time in my life."

As a tribute to the London 2012 Olympics, organizers will also dedicate a plaque in the pavement of Olympic Boulevard, near the Aquatic Centre.

While it has not yet been confirmed whether London Games chief, Lord Sebastian Coe, will take part in the ceremony, he is locked in as guest speaker at an 2012 Australian Olympic Team Appeal breakfast early in the day, at which an extensive lineup of Sydney 2000 Olympians will be in attendance.

The official celebration will start early in the afternoon and carry through to midnight with the centerpiece being a dinner hosted at the Olympic Stadiumby Olympians Grant Hackett and Giaan Rooney.

In an interview with the Daily Telegraph, Knight says the 2000 Gameshave left a legacy that endures. He says the Olympics show that Australia must be considered as a serious contender to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

"Whether we get World Cup football in 2022 or not won't be decided on whether FIFA (football's governing body) thinks Australia can do a job - we have crossed that threshold," Knight told Sydney The Daily Telegraph.

"Having seen what Australia did with the Olympics, the Paralympics and the World Cup Rugby, no international sporting federation . . . would have any doubts Australia could host an outstanding event.

"We may get it, we may not, but there's no question we could run it properly."

Written by Anthony Stavrinos in Sydney.