Rachael Watson
2016 Australian Paralympic team portrait of Rachael Watson
Personal information
Full nameRachael Watson
NationalityAustralian
Born (1992-01-30) 30 January 1992
Sport
SportSwimming
ClassificationsS4
ClubChandler Swimming Club
Medal record
Women's paralympic swimming
Representing  Australia
Event 1st 2nd 3rd
Paralympic Games 2 0 0
World Championships 0 2 2
Pan Pacific Para Championships 1 0 0
Total 3 2 1
Paralympics
Gold medal – first place2016 Rio de Janeiro50 m freestyle S4
Gold medal – first place2020 Tokyo50 m freestyle S4
World Para Swimming Championships
Silver medal – second place 2019 London 50 m freestyle S4
Silver medal – second place2022 Madeira50 m freestyle S4
Bronze medal – third place 2019 London100 m freestyle S4
Bronze medal – third place2023 Manchester50 m freestyle S4
Pan Pacific Para Swimming Championships
Gold medal – first place 2018 Cairns 50 m freestyle S4

Rachael Elizabeth Watson, OAM (born 30 January 1992) is an Australian Paralympic swimmer. Watson represented Australia at the 2016 Rio Paralympics winning gold in the 50m Freestyle S4,[1] a feat she repeated at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics.[2]

Personal

Watson was born on 30 January 1992. She is a triplet and has mild cerebral palsy however remained functionally independent and ambulant. In her early 20's she acquired Guillain Barre Syndrome that led to severe muscle weakness and peripheral nervous system damage resulting in quadriplegia requiring the use of a wheelchair. [3]

Swimming

Watson took up swimming as part of her rehabilitation from Guillain Barre Syndrome.[3] The majority of competitions are held in a multi class (MC) format where each athlete swims against the world record for their classification and the swimmer with the highest point score wins the race. Watson has myopia and is unable to see the results score board at the end of the pool so remains unaware of her placing until she is told.

At the 2016 Rio Paralympics, Watson won the gold medal in the Women's 50m Freestyle S4 in a Paralympic record time of 40.13. Watson became the first swimmer classed S5 or below, to win gold for Australia this millennium.[4]

Watson qualified for the 2017 World Championships but the competition was cancelled due to a major earthquake in Mexico occurring just a fortnight prior to the event.

In 2018, Watson was chosen to volunteer at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games. She could not compete as her swimming classification was not included in this competition.

At the postponed 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, Watson won the gold medal in the Women's 50m freestyle S4 in a Paralympic record time of 39.36. [5]

In 2022, Watson was chosen to volunteer at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. She could not compete as her swimming classification was not included in this competition.

Watson trains at the Chandler Swimming Club in Brisbane.[6]

Recognition

2016 – Australian Institute of Sport Discovery of the Year [7]

2016 – Sporting Wheelies and Disabled Association Most Improved Athlete [8]

2017 – Medal of the Order of Australia[9]

2021 - University of Queensland Blue (university sport) Award for Sporting Excellence

2022 - University of Queensland Sportswoman of the Year

2023 - Australian Sports Medal

References

  1. ↑ "Australian Paralympic Swimming Team announced". Australian Paralympic Committee News, 1 August 2016. Archived from the original on 29 August 2016. Retrieved 1 August 2016.
  2. ↑ "Paralympics Australia Names Powerful Para-Swimming Team For Tokyo". Paralympics Australia. 16 June 2021. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
  3. 1 2 "Rachael Watson". Australian Paralympic Committee. Archived from the original on 29 August 2016. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
  4. ↑ "Rachael Watson". Rio Paralympics Official site. Archived from the original on 23 September 2016. Retrieved 18 September 2016.
  5. ↑ "Rahael Watson". Tokyo Paralympics Official Results. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
  6. ↑ "Australian Paralympic Team for Tokyo 2021". The Roar. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  7. ↑ "SWIMMING AUSTRALIA GALA DINNER 2016". Swimming Australia. Archived from the original on 16 March 2017. Retrieved 6 November 2016.
  8. ↑ "2016 Annual Awards winners". Sporting Wheelies and Disabled Association website. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
  9. ↑ "Medal (OAM) of the Order of Australia in the General Division" (PDF). www.gg.gov.au. Archived (PDF) from the original on 29 January 2017. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
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