# Samantha Watson

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.
Watson placed sixth in 800 at 2019 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Des Moines, Iowa in a time of 2:01.70.
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.
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.
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.
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. 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.
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.
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 |
| 2016 | 2016 IAAF World Junior (U20) Championships | 1st | 4x400 m | 3:29.11 |
| 2015 | 2015 IAAF World Youth (U18) Championships | 1st | 800 m | 2:03.54 |
| 2015 | 2015 IAAF World Youth (U18) Championships | 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 | 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 | 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 | 6th | 800 m | 2:01.70 |
| Representing Texas A&M University |||||
| 2018 | USA Junior (U20) Outdoor Track and Field Championships | 1st | 800 m | 2:01.46 |
| Representing Rush-Henrietta High School |||||
| 2017 | 2017 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships | 6th | 800 m | 2:00.99 |
| 2017 | 2017 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships | 4th | 1000 m | 2:40.72 |
| 2016 | USA Junior (U20) Outdoor Track and Field Championships | 1st | 800 m | 2:02.91 |
| 2015 | USA Junior (U18) Outdoor Track and Field Championships | 1st | 800 m | 2:01.46 |
| 2014 | USATF National Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships | 3rd | 400 m | 54.94 |
| 2014 | USATF National Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships | 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.
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 |
| 2018 | DMR 4th 11:21.86 | | 4x400 m 5th 3:29.61 | |

## 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).
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, 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, 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, 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).