Career
She was inducted into the in 1989, three years after her death at age 29 from a brain tumor. Peyton set three national swimming records when she was only 9 and 10 years old. She swam for the David Douglas High School Swim Club in Portland, Oregon, where she held numerous Oregon Class 4A swim records including 200-yard medley relay (1974, 1975, 1976).
200-yard freestyle (1972, 1974, 1975).
50-yard freestyle (1971). 100-yard freestyle (1972, 1974).
500-yard freestyle (1975). 200-yard freestyle relay (1971, 1972).
400-yard freestyle relay (1974, 1975).
400-yard freestyle (1971). Oregon Girls Swimming Title
Peyton broke her own Oregon 17–18 girls 400-meter freestyle record on August 1, 1974. This record time of 4:20.35 was to stand until July 26, 1997 when Lauren Thies set a new time of 4:15.97.
She participated in two: in 1971 in Cali, Colombia, and the 1975 in Mexico City.
She was chosen as was the United States" flag bearer at the closing ceremonies of the 1975 games. Peyton represented the United States at the 1972 Summer in Munich as a backup swimmer.
This record would stand until August 26, 1978, when another United States swim team of Cynthia Woodhead, Jill Sterkel, Stephanie Elkins and Tracy Caulkins broke it with a time of 3:43.43 in West Berlin. Peyton attended, where she swam for the Stanford Cardinal swimming and diving team
Peyton-McDonald was honored in 1975 with the Bill Hayward Johnny Carpenter Preparatory athlete of the year award as the Outstanding Amateur Athlete in Oregon.
In 1989, she was inducted posthumously into the
Peyton-McDonald died on December 13, 1986 at the age of 29 as a result of an inoperable brain tumor that she first disclosed to the public in 1979.