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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]

Rachael Watson

2016 Australian Paralympic team portrait of Rachael Watson
Personal information
Full name	Rachael Watson
Nationality	Australian
Born	(1992-01-30) 30 January 1992 (age 30)
Sport
Sport	Swimming
Classifications	S4
Club	Chandler Swimming Club
Medal record Women's paralympic swimming Representing  Australia Event 1st 2nd 3rd Paralympic Games 2 0 0 World Championships 0 2 1 Pan Pacific Para Championships 1 0 0 Total 3 2 1 Paralympics 2016 Rio de Janeiro 50 m freestyle S4 2020 Tokyo 50 m freestyle S4 World Para Swimming Championships 2019 London 50 m freestyle S4 2022 Madeira 50 m freestyle S4 2019 London 100 m freestyle S4 Pan Pacific Para Swimming Championships 2018 Cairns 50 m freestyle S4

Personal

Watson was born on 30 January 1992. She is a triplet and has mild cerebral palsy however remained functionally independent. In her early 20's she acquired Guillain Barre Syndrome that led to severe muscle weakness and peripheral nervous system damage resulting in quadriplegia. [3] Watson is a volunteer member of numerous committees providing peer support, liaison and advocacy. Watson has a university degree in Early Childhood Education and is completing postgraduate study at the University of Queensland.

Swimming

Watson took up swimming as part of her rehabilitation.[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 2019 World Para Swimming Championships in London, Watson won the silver medal in the Women's 50m Freestyle S4 and the bronze medal in the Women's 100m Freestyle S4.[5]

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. [6]

At the 2022 World Para Swimming Championships in Portugal, Watson won the silver medal in the Women's 50m Freestyle S4.

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.[7]

Recognition

2016 – Australian Institute of Sport Discovery of the Year [8]

2016 – Sporting Wheelies and Disabled Association Most Improved Athlete [9]

2017 – Medal of the Order of Australia[10]

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

2022 - University of Queensland Sportswoman of the Year

References

External links

• Rachael Watson at the International Paralympic Committee
• Rachael Watson at IPC.InfostradaSports.com
• Rachael Watson at Paralympics Australia
• Swimming Australia

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