Ethel Lackie

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

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]

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