Cathy Freeman splits with husband

The personal life of Olympic 400 metres champion Cathy Freeman took another twist on Saturday when the Australian announced her split with husband Alexander Bodecker.

Freeman, 30, had helped nurse the American sportswear executive last year in Melbourne in his successful battle against throat cancer.

"I have decided to split, effective immediately, from Alexander Bodecker," Freeman said in a statement.

"As a couple, we have had our shares of highs and lows and through that both our lives have changed.

"It was always going to be difficult with one of us living in the United States and the other in Melbourne and our respective careers have put extreme pressure on the relationship and this has led to a decision to separate."

Freeman, Australia's most prominent Aboriginal athlete, took a year's break after winning gold at the 2000 Sydney Games and was hampered by a thigh injury last year.

The dual world champion only ran the 400 metres relay at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, England and chose not to compete in the individual event so she could devote more time to Bodecker.

Earlier this month Freeman welcomed the news that her conqueror at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, France's Marie-Jose Perec, would make a comeback at this year's world championships.

Perec, 34, had left the Sydney Games without competing in 2000, claiming to have received death threats on her phone in her hotel room.

Freeman had sacked partner Nick Bideau as her manager before the Sydney Olympics.

The athlete reached a settlement with Bideau in November last year after he had launched Supreme Court action in October 2000 for breach of contract.

Freeman will compete for the national titles in Brisbane in April before preparing for Europe's major grand prix meets and the Paris world championships in July.