Rachael Watson

Rachael Watson

2016 Australian Paralympic Team portrait of Rachael Watson
Personal information
Full name Rachael Watson
Nationality  Australia
Born (1992-01-30) 30 January 1992
Sport
Sport Swimming
Strokes Freestyle
Classifications S4
Club Chandler Swimming Club
Coach Rob Hindmarsh
Medal record
Women's paralympic swimming
Representing  Australia
Paralympics
2016 Rio de Janeiro 50 m Freestyle S4

Rachael Elizabeth Watson OAM (born 30 January 1992) is an Australian Paralympic swimmer. She represented Australia at the 2016 Rio Paralympics where she won a gold medal.[1]

Personal

Watson was born on 30 January 1992 with Cerebral Palsy resulting from a premature birth. At the age of 21, she acquired Guillain Barre Syndrome that led to rapid muscle weakness and peripheral nervous system damage. Before acquiring Guillain-Barré Syndrome, she could walk well, drive a regular car, was employed as a learn-to-swim instructor and had also earned honours in AMEB piano and music theory exams. [2] She is a triplet with brothers James and Jonathan. Her brother James also has cerebral palsy, while Jonathan is unaffected. [3] She attended Cannon Hill Anglican College in Brisbane, Queensland.[3] [2] In 2011, she was awarded the Queensland Young Volunteer of Year - Art and Culture category. She holds a voluntary role as the official ambassador for the Guillain Barre Syndrome Foundation of Australia. [4]

Swimming

Watson took up swimming as part of her rehabilitation.[2] She was originally classified as a S8 swimmer[2] but was reclassified as a S4 swimmer as a result of Guillain Barre Syndrome. S4 classified swimmers have some weakness in their hands and arms and no use of their core or legs. [2] At the 2016 Australian Swimming Championships, she nearly broke the S4 world record for the Women's 100m Freestyle.[2] At the 2016 IDM Berlin Open, she won the Women's 50m Freestyle in an S4 Oceania record time of 39.97.[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. The win came after only 18 months of training with her coach. Watson became the first swimmer classed S5 or below, to win gold for Australia this millennium. [5] She also competed in Mixed 4x50m Freestyle (20 points) and finished seventh in the final. Watson further competed in the Women's 50m Breaststroke SB3 and Women's 150m Individual Medley SM4 and despite marginally not progressing to the finals, she achieved personal best times in both events.

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 name how to deal with the punches that life throws at you."[6]

Watson was awarded AIS Discovery of the Year at the 2016 Swimming Australia Awards and Most Improved Athlete at the 2016 Sporting Wheelies and Disabled Association Awards.[7][8] She was awarded the Order of Australia Medal in 2017.[9]

At the 2017 Australian Swimming Championships, she swam 37.87 in the Women’s 50 Freestyle S4 to break the previous world record of 39.52. She won her first Australian national title and the world record breaking swim earned her a place on her first World Championships team. One year prior she came 8th in the same event at the 2016 Australian Swimming Championships.[10]

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

References

  1. ↑ "Australian Paralympic Swimming Team announced". Australian Paralympic Committee News, 1 August 2016. Retrieved 1 August 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Rachael Watson". Australian Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
  3. 1 2 Lawrence, Ellisa (5 September 2016). "Paralympics 2016: We’re the Superhumans - Queensland’s champions". Courier Mail. Retrieved 5 September 2016.
  4. ↑ "Young Bundaberg local wins volunteering award". Queensland Government website. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
  5. ↑ "Rachael Watson". Rio Paralympics Official site. Retrieved 18 September 2016.
  6. ↑ Lawerence, Elissa. "Paralympics 2016: We’re the Superhumans - Queensland’s champions". The Courier Mail. The Courier Mail. Retrieved 22 October 2016.
  7. ↑ "2016 Annual Awards winners". Sporting Wheelies and Disabled Association website. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
  8. ↑ "SWIMMING AUSTRALIA GALA DINNER 2016". Swimming Australia. Retrieved 6 November 2016.
  9. ↑ "OAM Final Media Notes (S-Z)" (PDF). Governor General of Australia. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
  10. ↑ "RACHAEL WATSON BREAKS S4 WORLD RECORD IN 50 FREE AT AUSSIE CHAMPS". Swim Swam website. Retrieved 18 April 2017.
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