Debbie Watson (water polo) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Debbie WatsonOAM |
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| Full name | Deborah Kathleen "Debbie" Watson | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 28 September 1965 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
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| Nationality |  Australia |
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| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 71 kg (157 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Field player | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Handedness | Right | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| College(s) | University of Sydney | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Years | Team | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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1983–2000
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Australia |
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Medal record
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Deborah Kathleen Watson, born on September 28, 1965, is an amazing Australian former water polo player. Many people think she is one of the best female water polo players ever! She won gold medals at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney and the 1986 World Aquatics Championships in Madrid.
Contents
Debbie Watson's Early Life
Debbie Watson was born in Sydney, Australia. Before she started playing water polo, she was a netball player. Doctors told her to stop playing land sports because of injuries. That's when she decided to join her school's water polo team instead.
Debbie Watson's Water Polo Career
Starting Her International Journey
In 1983, Debbie Watson was chosen to play for Australia because of her incredible talent in water polo. She was only 17 years old when she first played internationally. This happened at the 1983 FINA Women's Water Polo World Cup in Sainte-Foy, Quebec, Canada. Her team finished in third place, earning a bronze medal.
Winning Gold Medals
Debbie Watson and the Australian national team won a gold medal at the 1984 FINA Women's Water Polo World Cup in Irvine, California, United States. When she was 20, Watson was part of the team that won gold at the 1986 World Aquatics Championships in Madrid, Spain. This was a huge achievement!
Becoming a Captain and World's Best
From 1991 to 1996, Debbie Watson was the captain of the Australian team. In 1993, she was even voted the best player in the world! She won the FINA Women's Water Polo World Cup again in 1995. Before that, her team had finished second in 1991 in Long Beach, California.
Olympic Comeback and Historic Gold
Watson first retired from water polo in 1996 when she was 30. But in 1997, something exciting happened! The International Olympic Committee decided to add women's water polo to the Olympic Games for the first time in 2000. This made Debbie want to play again!
She jumped back into the pool and trained hard. At the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia, her home team played against the United States in the final. Australia won 4-3, taking home the first-ever Olympic gold medal in women's water polo! This made Debbie Watson the first female athlete to win gold in water polo at both the Olympics and the World Championship. She was 34 years old at the time, making her one of the oldest Olympic champions in women's water polo.
Honors and Hall of Fame
Debbie Watson has received many special honors for her amazing career.
- In 2006, she became the first female water polo player to be included in the Australian Sports Hall of Fame.
- In 2008, she was the first female water polo player to be added to the International Swimming Hall of Fame.
- In 2009, she was also inducted into the Water Polo Australia Hall of Fame.
Other Appearances
In 1995, Debbie Watson also took part in the Gladiator Individual Sports Athletes Challenge. This was a fun competition where athletes tested their skills against "Gladiators."
Achievements and Medals
Olympic Games Medals
- Gold: 2000 Sydney
World Championship Medals
- Gold: 1986 Madrid
Water Polo World Cup Medals
- Gold: 1984 Irvine, 1995 Sydney
- Silver: 1991 Long Beach
- Bronze: 1983 Sainte-Foy
Hall of Fame Inductions
- Australian Sports Hall of Fame: 2006
- International Swimming Hall of Fame: 2008
- Water Polo Australia Hall of Fame: 2009
See also
In Spanish: Debbie Watson para niños
- Australia women's Olympic water polo team records and statistics
- List of Olympic champions in women's water polo
- List of Olympic medalists in water polo (women)
- List of world champions in women's water polo
- List of World Aquatics Championships medalists in water polo
- List of members of the International Swimming Hall of Fame
