Ethel Lackie

Ethel Minnie Lackie (February 10, 1907 – December 15, 1979), also known by her married name Ethel Watkins, was an American competition swimmer, Olympic champion, and world record-holder.^[1]

Ethel Lackie

Ethel Lackie in 1929
Personal information
Full name	Ethel Minnie Lackie
National team	United States
Born	(1907-02-10)February 10, 1907 Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Died	December 15, 1979(1979-12-15) (aged 72) Newbury Park, California, U.S.
Height	5 ft 4 in (1.63 m)
Sport
Sport	Swimming
Strokes	Freestyle
Club	Illinois Athletic Club
Medal record Representing the United States Olympic Games 1924 Paris 100 m freestyle 1924 Paris 4×100 m freestyle

Lackie represented the United States at the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris.^[2] Individually, she won a gold medal in the women's 100-meter freestyle, finishing with a time of 1:12.4, and leading an American medal sweep of the event.^[2][3] She also won a second gold medal as a member of the first-place U.S. team in the women's 4×100-meter freestyle relay, together with American teammates Euphrasia Donnelly, Gertrude Ederle and Mariechen Wehselau.^[2][4] The U.S. relay team set a new world record of 4:58.8 in the event final.^[2] In 1969 she was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame.^[5]

She was born in Chicago, Illinois and attended high school at University High in the Hyde Park community of Chicago. After retiring from competitions she married Bill Watkins, a rower from the Santa Monica area. She died in Newbury Park, California.^[2]

See also

• List of members of the International Swimming Hall of Fame
• List of Olympic medalists in swimming (women)
• World record progression 100 metres freestyle
• World record progression 4 × 100 metres freestyle relay

References

1. "Ethel Lackie". Olympedia. Retrieved November 16, 2021.
2. Sports-Reference.com, Olympic Sports, Athletes, Ethel Lackie. Retrieved November 22, 2012.
3. Sports-Reference.com, Olympic Sports, Swimming at the 1924 Paris Summer Games, Women's 100 metres Freestyle Final. Retrieved November 22, 2012.
4. Sports-Reference.com, Olympic Sports, United States Swimming at the 1924 Paris Summer Games. Retrieved November 22, 2012.
5. "Ethel Lackie (USA)". ISHOF.org. International Swimming Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on April 12, 2015. Retrieved April 12, 2015.

Records
Preceded by Mariechen Wehselau	Women's 100-meter freestyle world record-holder (long course) January 28, 1926 – August 7, 1929	Succeeded by Eleanor Garatti