Samantha Watson
Watson in 2018
Personal information
NationalityAmerican
Born (1999-11-10) November 10, 1999 (age 24)
Rochester, New York, U.S.
EducationTemple University
Height5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Sport
SportTrack and field
Event(s)800 metres, Mile
College teamTexas A&M '19
Rush-Henrietta Senior High School 2017
Turned pro2019
Coached byDerek Thompson
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)400 m: 52.69 (2015)
800 m: 2:00.36 (2023)
1500 m: 4:21.45 (2018)
Medal record
Women's athletics
Representing the  United States
IAAF World U20 Championships
2018 Tampere 800 m
Gold medal – first place 2016 Bydgoszcz 4x400 m
Gold medal – first place 2016 Bydgoszcz 800 m
IAAF World U18 Championships
Gold medal – first place 2015 Cali 800 m
Gold medal – first place 2015 Cali M4x400 m

Samantha "Sammy" Watson (born November 10, 1999) is an American middle-distance runner from New York.

Career

Watson placed fourth in 800 m in 2:04.11 at 2020 USA Track & Field Indoor Championships.[1]

Watson placed sixth in 800 at 2019 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Des Moines, Iowa in a time of 2:01.70.[2][3]

Watson placed 11th in 800 meters at 2018 IAAF World U20 Championships – Women's 800 metres in Tampere, Finland in a time of 2:03.95.

Watson placed first in 800 meters at 2018 USA U20 Junior Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Bloomington, Indiana in a time of 2:01.46.

Sammy Watson finished sixth on Sunday, June 25, 2017 in the 800 meters at the United States National Outdoor Championships in Sacramento, California.[4]

A time of 2:43.18 at 1,000 meters, set at altitude during the prelims 2017 USATF Indoor Championships held in Albuquerque, bettered the national high school record of 2:43.43 set in 2005 by Sarah Brown. In the final she lowered the record to 2:40.72 in placing fourth among a field of professional athletes.[5]

Sammy Watson's 800 meters mark broke the 1974 national record of 2:01.8 set by Mary Decker and it is also the U.S. Junior record. Video: Sammy Watson After Running 2:01.78 800 to Break Mary Decker's HS Record.[6]

International accolades for Sammy Watson include winning gold-medal as a 2016 World junior title in the 800 meters while and running on the gold-medal 4x400 relay.[7] Watson made her second Team USA in Clovis, California at USA Junior (U20) Outdoor Track and Field Championships winning the 800 meters title in a time of 2:02.91.[8]

In 2015, she was the World youth champion in the 800 meters. Watson was 15 when she claimed the World Youth 800m title in 2:03.54 after winning 2015 USA Junior Olympics 15-16 year old 800 meters title in a time of 2:08.73 and 15-16 year old 400 meters title in a time of 54.31 in Jacksonville, Florida.[9]

Representing the  United States
IAAF Championships
2018 2018 IAAF World Junior (U20) Championships 11th 800 m 2:03.95
2016 2016 IAAF World Junior (U20) Championships 1st 800 m 2:04.52
1st 4x400 m 3:29.11
2015 2015 IAAF World Youth (U18) Championships 1st 800 m 2:03.54
1st Mixed 4 × 400 metres relay 3:19.54
USA Track and Field Championships
Representing Adidas
2023 2023 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships 7th 800 m 2:02.07
2023 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships 6th 800 m 2:03.04
2022 2022 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships 10th 800 m 2:00.90
2022 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships 6th 800 m 2:03.92
2021 2020 United States Olympic Trials 31st 800 m 2:03.83
2020 2020 USA Track & Field Indoor Championships 4th 800 m 2:04.11
2019 2019 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships[10] 6th 800 m 2:01.70
Representing Texas A&M University
2018 USA Junior (U20) Outdoor Track and Field Championships[11] 1st 800 m 2:01.46
Representing Rush-Henrietta High School
2017 2017 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships[12] 6th 800 m 2:00.99
2017 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships[13] 4th 1000 m 2:40.72
2016 USA Junior (U20) Outdoor Track and Field Championships[14] 1st 800 m 2:02.91
2015 USA Junior (U18) Outdoor Track and Field Championships[15] 1st 800 m 2:01.46
2014 USATF National Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships[16] 3rd 400 m 54.94
2nd 800 m 2:06.35

NCAA

Watson placed first in 800 meters in a time of 2:04.21 at the 2018 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon.

Watson placed first in 800 meters in a time of 2:03.37 at the 2018 Southeastern Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Watson placed third in 800 in a time of 2:02.65 at the 2018 NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships in College Station, Texas after winning her first title in the 800 m at 2018 SEC Indoor Track & Field Championships.

Watson ran on the 4th place Distance medley relay at Southeastern Conference final. Watson ran a time of 2:42.12 in the 1,000m which ranks seventh on the collegiate indoor all-time list and bettered the Texas A&M University school record of 2:43.15 set last season by Jasmine Fray. Texas A&M's Sammy Watson anchored the Aggie distance medley relay to a school and meet record of 11:12.06 to win the event at the Ted Nelson Invitational.[17]

Representing Texas A&M University
Year Southeastern Conference
Indoor track and field
Championships		 NCAA
Indoor
Championships		 Southeastern Conference
Outdoor track and field
Championships		 NCAA Division I
Outdoor track and field
Championships
2018 800 m 1st
2:04.25		 800 m 3rd
2:02.65		 800 m 1st
2:03.37		 800 m 1st
2:04.21
DMR 4th
11:21.86		 4x400 m 5th
3:29.61

[18]

Prep

In the 800m, Watson's 2:00.65 ranks third all-time in United States high school and she also produced five of the top 10 all-time performances. Watson's career best times by Watson from her high school career include 52.69 (400 meters), 1:27.13 (600 meters indoors), 2:00.65 (800 meters), 4:22.09 (1,500 meters) and 4:47.49 (mile indoors). In 2017 indoor season, Watson established national high school records at 600 meters (1:27.13), 800 meters (2:01.78) and 1,000 meters (2:40.72 A).[19]

In the 2017 outdoor track season, Watson placed 5th in a time of 55.90 in 400 meters and 2nd in one mile invitational section in 4:47.72 at Arcadia Invitational in April 2017,[20] ran 2:01.47 placed 3rd behind 1:59.87 winner Charlene Lipsey and runner up Chrishuna Williams in 800 meters at Prefontaine Classic in May 2017,[21] placed 2nd in a time of 2:00.78 behind 1:59.57 winner Charlene Lipsey in 800 meters on June 2 at Adidas Boost Boston Games,[22] and won 800 meters title in a time of 2:05.70 at 2017 New Balance Nationals Outdoor in Aggie Stadium in Greensboro, North Carolina on June 18, 2017 (1 week before USA Outdoor in Sacramento, California).

References

  1. ^ "In Chestnut Hill, world class runners are training for the Olympics". March 3, 2020. Retrieved March 4, 2020.
  2. ^ "Ajee Wilson dashes to gold in women's 800 at 2019 USATF Outdoor Championships - NBC Sports". YouTube. July 28, 2019. Retrieved August 3, 2019.
  3. ^ "Thankful for a healthy and strong race tonight😊 2:01.7 for 6th place. this is just the beginning for young rookie Sammy WATSON #adidasrunning". July 28, 2019. Retrieved August 3, 2019.
  4. ^ "Samantha Watson Finishes Sixth At The USATF Championships Billy Cvecko". June 25, 2017. Retrieved March 16, 2018.
  5. ^ "Sammy Watson Obliterates 1K National Record By Three Seconds". FloTrack. March 16, 2017. Retrieved March 16, 2018.
  6. ^ "Ajee' Wilson smashes American indoor 800m record, earns USATF Athlete of the Week". February 17, 2017. Retrieved March 16, 2018.
  7. ^ "24 JUL 2016 REPORT BYDGOSZCZ, POLAND REPORT: WOMEN'S 4X400M – IAAF WORLD U20 CHAMPIONSHIPS BYDGOSZCZ 2016". Retrieved March 16, 2018.
  8. ^ "2016 USATF Junior National Championship Results - 6/24/2016 to 6/26/2016 Buchanan's Veterans Memorial Stadium in Clovis CA; 1560 N Minnewawa". http://www.legacy.usatf.org/Events---Calendar/2016/USATF-Junior-Outdoor-Track---Field-Championships/Live-Results.aspx. June 25, 2016. Retrieved March 16, 2018.
  9. ^ "2015 USATF JO National Championship Results - 7/27/2015 to 8/2/2015 University of Florida Hodges Stadium". August 2, 2015. Retrieved March 16, 2018.
  10. ^ "2019 USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships Results - Toyota USATF Outdoor Championships - Drake Stadium - Drake University Des Moines, Iowa July 25-28". July 28, 2019. Retrieved July 28, 2019.
  11. ^ "2018WOMEN'S 800M FINAL - USATF JUNIOR OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS". June 25, 2018. Retrieved August 21, 2018.
  12. ^ "2017 USATF Outdoor Track and Field Championships Results - 6/22/2017 to 6/25/2017 Hornet Stadium, Sacramento, California". June 25, 2017. Retrieved August 20, 2018.
  13. ^ "2017 USA Indoor Track & Field Championships Results - 3/3/2017 Albuquerque Convention Center". March 3, 2017. Retrieved August 20, 2018.
  14. ^ "2016 USA Junior Championships Results - 6/24/2016 to 6/26/2016 Veteran's Memorial Stadium - Clovis, California". June 26, 2016. Retrieved August 20, 2018.
  15. ^ "2015 USA Youth Outdoor Track & Field Championship Young Women 800 m Final - Benedictine University - Lisle, IL". July 1, 2015. Retrieved August 20, 2018.
  16. ^ "2014 UATF JO National Championship Results - 7/21/2014 to 7/27/2014 Turner Stadium, Humble, TX". July 27, 2014. Retrieved August 20, 2018.
  17. ^ "SEC Track and Field Weekly Honors". Southeastern Conference. January 17, 2018. Retrieved March 16, 2018.
  18. ^ "Sammy Watson Texas A&M track - cross country results - Track and Field Results Reporting System". TFRRS. August 21, 2017. Retrieved August 21, 2018.
  19. ^ "ALL-USA Watch: Sammy Watson breaks national record in 1k twice". USA Today. March 6, 2017. Retrieved March 16, 2018.
  20. ^ "2017 Arcadia Invitational Results". Athletic.net. April 8, 2017. Retrieved March 16, 2018.
  21. ^ "Prefontaine Classic Results - 5/26/2017 to 5/27/2017 Hayward Field, EUGENE - USA". Preclassic.Runnerspace.com. May 27, 2017. Retrieved March 16, 2018.
  22. ^ "2017 Adidas Boost Boston Games Results". Adidas Boost Boston Games & Prime Time Timing (pttiming.com). June 2, 2017. Retrieved March 16, 2018.

External links

World Youth Champions in women's 800 metres
World Youth Champions in mixed 4 × 400 metres relay
Authority control databases: People
Categories