Education
University of California, Los Los Angeles
University of California, Los Los Angeles
As a 14-year-old, she represented the United States at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. The four American women set a new world of 4:03.8 in the event final. She also swam the backstroke leg for the gold medal-winning United States. team in the preliminary heats of the women"s 4×100-meter medley relay, but did not receive a second medal because only relay swimmers who competed in the event final were eligible under the 1964 rules.
Watson broke Dawn Fraser"s six-year-old world record in the 200-meter freestyle (long course) on August 19, 1966, with a time of 2:10.5, and held the record for one year.
She was part of several world record performances in relay events. Watson was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame as an "Honor Swimmer" in 1984.
Watson won a gold medal as a member of the first-place United States. team in the women"s 4×100-meter freestyle relay, together with her teammates Sharon Stouder, Donna de Varona and Kathy Ellis. Four years later at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, she won a gold medal for her first-place performance in the women"s 200-meter backstroke, setting a new Olympic record of 2:24.8.
