By Elizabeth Byrne

Copyright abc

Who could forget the moment 25 years ago when Cathy Freeman crossed the line into history, winning Olympic gold in the 400m at the 2000 Olympics.

But for some, the memory is sharper than others.

Canberra man Mal Davies, 92, had the second most important job on the track that day, when he fired the starting gun, pressing go on a nation’s hopes.

“I recall standing near the tunnel where we marched on, as it were, just near the finish line.

“And I can remember looking at my watch and saying ‘well I suppose we had better go and do this then’, and I was not nervous at all.'”

A false start before glory

Mr Davies said he got the gig after applying to the organisers.

“My allocation was all the women’s events from 400m and up, with the exception for the women’s 10,000m. I got the women’s marathon which of course started outside the stadium,” Mr Davies said.

But the Olympics didn’t start so well for Mr Davies, when the first race was delayed.

Originally the starter had two guns, one to start and one to fire if there was a false start.

By 2000, technology had advanced, and starter guns were linked to computers for precise time measurements.

But the protocols remained largely the same.

But in the very first race things went awry.

“Part of the procedure was, when the announcers had been finished we blew our whistle to warn everybody it was about to happen, and on this particular occasion I turned to take the starting gun from the technician and he was all waving,” Mr Davies said.

“What had happened was, a whistle blast had blown the computers, so everything had to stop.

A career made in Australia

Mr Davies said Cathy Freeman’s race was the highlight in his long career as a starter and sports official, after years as a teacher and then in the air force.

He says he bought his first starter guns in the 1960s.

But Mr Davies said it was many years before he reached a grade one rating, which cleared the way for his place at the Olympics.

And that only became possible after a move to Australia, where he picked up his coaching and sporting official career here.

It was in that capacity he came across the woman who would create his career highlight, although the pair were on the track together for many starts at meets over the years.

In the end there was only one race that mattered, and that was Freeman’s.

“I can remember standing there and watching the girls come down the final bend and thinking ‘goodness gracious me you are not winning, come on’, and of course it all happened.”

But for all of that the pair have never spoken.

“Didn’t get a chance even after the race,” Mr Davies said.

Nevertheless, Davies still savours the moment.

“It’s probably the greatest race ever, as far as I am concerned.”