Rachael Watson

Rachael Elizabeth Watson OAM (born 30 January 1992) is an Australian Paralympic swimmer. She is the current world record holder for the S4 50m Freestyle. Watson represented Australia at the 2016 Rio Paralympics where she became the first S4 to win a gold medal in the 50m Freestyle at any Paralympic games.[1]

Rachael Watson
2016 Australian Paralympic Team portrait of Rachael Watson
Personal information
Full nameRachael Watson
Nationality Australia
Born (1992-01-30) 30 January 1992
Sport
SportSwimming
StrokesFreestyle
ClassificationsS4
ClubChandler Swimming Club
Medal record
Women's paralympic swimming
Representing  Australia
Event 1st 2nd 3rd
Paralympic Games 1 0 0
World Championships 0 1 1
Pan Pacific Para Championships 1 1 1
Total 2 2 2
Paralympics
2016 Rio de Janeiro50 m Freestyle S4
World Para Swimming Championships
2019 London 50 m Freestyle S4
2019 London 100 m Freestyle S4
Pan Pacific Para Swimming Championships
2018 Cairns 50 m Freestyle S4
2018 Cairns Mixed 20pt 4 x 50 m Freestyle relay
2018 Cairns 50m Breaststroke SB3
Australian Swimming Championships
2017 Brisbane 50m Freestyle MC
2018 Adelaide 50m Freestyle MC
2019 Adelaide 50m Freestyle MC

Personal

Watson was born on 30 January 1992 in Brisbane, Queensland. She is a triplet and has mild cerebral palsy due to a premature birth. At the age of 21, she acquired Guillain Barre Syndrome that led to rapid full body muscle weakness and peripheral nervous system damage resulting in the loss of ability to walk and low level quadriplegia. The cause remains unknown. Before acquiring Guillain Barre Syndrome, she was employed as a learn-to-swim instructor whilst studying at university and had also earned honours in AMEB piano and music theory exams.[2] In 2009, as a Year 12 student, Watson was the sole recipient of the "Leanne Crawl Goodwill Award", an award which the recipient demonstrates exceptional goodwill and kindness towards fellow students. Watson held a leadership position whilst attending high school and was also awarded the "Community Spirit" award. In 2011, she was awarded the "Queensland Young Volunteer of the Year". Watson holds a voluntary role as the official ambassador for the Guillain Barre Syndrome Foundation of Australia where she provides education to medical staff and direct support to patients and their families. She currently volunteers at the Queensland Children's Hospital in the Operating Theatre Support role. She is a member of the Queensland Health Disability Advisory Committee. Watson holds a university degree in Early Childhood Education. [3]

Swimming

Watson took up swimming as part of her rehabilitation.[2] In 2015 she was classified as an S4 swimmer as a result of Guillain Barre Syndrome. She has broken 16-year-old Australian records (set in 1999) in the 50m, 100m, 200m Freestyle and 50m Butterfly. S4 classified swimmers have some weakness in their hands and arms and no use of their core or legs. 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. 1000 points equals a world record.[2]

At the 2016 Australian Swimming Championships, despite coming 8th in the multi class 50m Freestyle, she achieved an A qualifying time for the Rio Paralympics and at her first nationals, which also doubled as selection trials, she made her first Paralympic team.[2]

At the 2016 Rio Paralympics, she 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]

In preparation for Rio, Watson shared "If I was to win a medal, it won’t just me who has won, it’s them as well. They have done so much for me. My mum has taught me so much about how to be a young woman and my dad has taught me how to deal with the punches that life throws at you." After the win, during her post race interview she was asked “What would your message be to other young women?” She replied tearfully, “I guess, just be kind to yourself, because you’re going to set goals and you’re going to want it to happen straight away and it’s not and it’s going to kick you in the guts a million times but, you know, this could happen if you work hard.” [5]

At the 2017 Australian Swimming Championships, she swam 37.87 in the Women's 50m Freestyle multi class final to break the previous S4 world record of 39.52. She broke the record in the heat as well in a time of 38.66. She won her first Australian national title and the world-record-breaking swim earned her a place on her first World Championships team. Watson received a standing ovation from the crowd and a hug from Dawn Fraser, which she describes as one of the most memorable moments of her life.[6]

The 2017 World Para Swimming Championships were postponed due to a series of strong earthquakes in Mexico. The championships were meant to take place 30 September - 6 October in Mexico City. Her current time would have seen her win gold.

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

At the 2019 World Para Swimming Championships in London, she won a silver medal in the Women's 50m Freestyle S4, narrowly missing the gold medal, and a bronze medal in the Women's 100m Freestyle S4.[7]

She trains at the Chandler Swimming Club in Brisbane. Watson has been appointed Club Captain for the 2017/2018 season, the 2018/2019 season and the 2019/2020 season.

Major Results
  • 2016 - IDM Berlin Open - 50m Freestyle multi class - 1st (39.97)
  • 2016 - Rio Paralympic Games - 50m Freestyle S4 - 1st (40.13)
  • 2017 - Australian Swimming Championships (LC) - 50m Freestyle multi class - 1st (37.87) - WORLD RECORD
  • 2017 - Canadian Open - 50m Freestyle multi class - 1st (39.02)
  • 2017 - Canadian Open - 100m Freestyle multi class - 1st (1:27.62)
  • 2018 - Australian Swimming Championships (LC) - 50m Freestyle multi class - 2nd (40.05)
  • 2018 - Para Pan Pacific Championships - 50m Freestyle S4 - 1st (40.00)
  • 2018 - Australian Swimming Championships (SC) - 50m Freestyle multi class - 1st (40.41)
  • 2019 - Australian Swimming Championships (LC) - 50m Freestyle multi class - 1st (39.12)
  • 2019 - Melbourne WPS World Series - 50m Freestyle multi class - 3rd (39.77)
  • 2019 - Singapore WPS World Series - 50m Freestyle multi class - 2nd (39.20)
  • 2019 - Singapore WPS World Series - 100m Freestyle multi class - 2nd (1:30.51)
  • 2019 - London World Championships - 50m Freestyle S4 - 2nd (40.62)
  • 2019 - London World Championships - 100m Freestyle S4 - 3rd (1:33.90)
  • 2020 - Melbourne WPS World Series - 50m Freestyle multi class - 1st (39.75)

Recognition

2016 - AIS Discovery of the Year (Swimming Australia Annual Awards)[8]

2016 - Most Improved Athlete (Sporting Wheelies and Disabled Association Annual Awards) [9]

2016 - Swimming Australia Paralympic Swimmer of the Year nominee

2017 - Shannon Rollason Excellence Award: Open Female Swimmer 2016/2017 (Chandler Swim Club Annual Awards)

2017 - Order of Australia Medal [10]

2017 - Swimming Australia's #1 Best Moment of 2017

2018 - QLD Sprint Championships "SWD Swimmer of the Meet"

2018 - Swimming Australia Paralympic Swimmer of the Year nominee

2019 - Shannon Rollason Excellence Award: Open Female Swimmer 2018/2019 (Chandler Swim Club Annual Awards)

References
  1. "Australian Paralympic Swimming Team announced". Australian Paralympic Committee News, 1 August 2016. Retrieved 1 August 2016.
  2. "Rachael Watson". Australian Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
  3. "Young Bundaberg local wins volunteering award". Queensland Government website. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
  4. "Rachael Watson". Rio Paralympics Official site. Retrieved 18 September 2016.
  5. Lawerence, Elissa. "Paralympics 2016: We're the Superhumans - Queensland's champions". The Courier Mail. The Courier Mail. Retrieved 22 October 2016.
  6. "Rio gold and now a world record for Rachael Watson". Swimming Australia. Retrieved 18 April 2017.
  7. "Rachael Watson". 2019 World Para Swimming Championships Results. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
  8. "SWIMMING AUSTRALIA GALA DINNER 2016". Swimming Australia. Retrieved 6 November 2016.
  9. "2016 Annual Awards winners". Sporting Wheelies and Disabled Association website. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
  10. "Medal (OAM) of the Order of Australia in the General Division" (PDF). www.gg.gov.au. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
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