Lillian Watson

For the English soprano, see Lillian Watson (opera singer). For the tennis player, see Lilian Watson.

Lillian Debra Watson (born July 11, 1950), commonly known by her nickname Pokey Watson, and later by her married name Lillian Richardson, is an American former competition swimmer, a two-time Olympic champion, and a former world record-holder in three events.

Lillian Watson

Personal information
Full name	Lillian Debra Watson
Nickname	"Pokey"
National team	United States
Born	(1950-07-11) July 11, 1950 (age 74) Mineola, New York, U.S.
Height	5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Weight	146 lb (66 kg)
Sport
Sport	Swimming
Strokes	Backstroke, freestyle
Club	Santa Clara Swim Club
Medal record Women's swimming Representing the United States Olympic Games 1964 Tokyo 4x100 m freestyle 1968 Mexico City 200 m backstroke Pan American Games 1967 Winnipeg 100 m freestyle

As a 14-year-old, she represented the United States at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan.^[1] Watson won a gold medal as a member of the first-place U.S. team in the women's 4×100-meter freestyle relay, together with her teammates Sharon Stouder, Donna de Varona and Kathy Ellis. The four American women set a new world of 4:03.8 in the event final.^[1][2] She also swam the backstroke leg for the gold medal-winning U.S. team in the preliminary heats of the women's 4×100-meter medley relay,^[1] but did not receive a second medal because only relay swimmers who competed in the event final were eligible under the 1964 rules. 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.^[3]

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.^[4]

See also

• List of Olympic medalists in swimming (women)
• List of University of California, Los Angeles people
• World record progression 200 metres freestyle
• World record progression 4 × 100 metres freestyle relay
• World record progression 4 × 100 metres medley relay

References

1. Sports-Reference.com, Olympic Sports, Athletes, Pokey Watson. Retrieved September 8, 2015.
2. Sports-Reference.com, Olympic Sports, United States Swimming at the 1964 Tokyo Summer Games. Retrieved September 8, 2015.
3. Sports-Reference.com, Olympic Sports, Swimming at the 1968 Ciudad de México Summer Games, Women's 200 metres Backstroke Final. Retrieved September 8, 2015.
4. "Lillian "Pokey" Watson (USA)". ISHOF.org. International Swimming Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on September 5, 2015. Retrieved September 8, 2015.

External links

• Lillian "Pokey" Watson (USA) – Honor Swimmer profile at International Swimming Hall of Fame at the Wayback Machine (archived 2015-04-02)

Records
Preceded by Dawn Fraser	Women's 200-meter freestyle world record-holder (long course) August 19, 1966 – August 19, 1967	Succeeded by Pam Kruse