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 Swimming is an individual or team racing sport that requires the use of one's entire body to move through water. The sport takes place in pools or open water (e.g., in a sea or lake). Competitive swimming is one of the most popular Olympic ...

, a two-time Olympic champion, and a former world record-holder in three events. As a 14-year-old, she represented the United States at the

1964 Summer Olympics The , officially the and commonly known as Tokyo 1964 (), were an international multi-sport event held from 10 to 24 October 1964 in Tokyo, Japan. Tokyo had been awarded the organization of the 1940 Summer Olympics, but this honor was subseq ...

in Tokyo, Japan.Sports-Reference.com, Olympic Sports, Athletes
Pokey Watson
Retrieved September 8, 2015. 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 Donna de Varona Pinto (née Donna Elizabeth de Varona; born April 26, 1947) is an American former swimmer, Olympic champion, activist, and television sportscaster. Biography Swimming career de Varona attended Santa Clara High School, whose sw ...

and Kathy Ellis. 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 U.S. 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. Four years later at the

1968 Summer Olympics The 1968 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XIX Olympiad () and officially branded as Mexico 1968 (), were an international multi-sport event held from 12 to 27 October 1968, in Mexico City, Mexico. These were the first Ol ...

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.Sports-Reference.com, Olympic Sports, Swimming at the 1968 Ciudad de México Summer Games
Women's 200 metres Backstroke Final
Retrieved September 8, 2015. Watson broke

Dawn Fraser Dawn Fraser (born 4 September 1937) is an Australian freestyle champion swimmer, eight-time olympic medallist, a 15-year world record holder in the 100-metre freestyle, and former politician. Controversial, yet the winner of countless honours, ...

'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 The International Swimming Hall of Fame and Museum (ISHOF) is a history museum and hall of fame, located at One Hall of Fame Drive, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States, operated by private interests and serving as the central point for the stu ...

as an "Honor Swimmer" in 1984.

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* {{DEFAULTSORT:Watson, Lillian 1950 births Living people American female backstroke swimmers American female freestyle swimmers World record setters in swimming Sportspeople from Mineola, New York Swimmers at the 1964 Summer Olympics Swimmers at the 1968 Summer Olympics University of California, Los Angeles alumni Medalists at the 1968 Summer Olympics Medalists at the 1964 Summer Olympics Olympic gold medalists for the United States in swimming Swimmers at the 1967 Pan American Games Medalists at the 1967 Pan American Games Pan American Games bronze medalists for the United States in swimming 20th-century American sportswomen

See also

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