Alex Watson

Modern Pentathlon

Alex Watson was raised in Mosman at his parents' home at Balmoral Beach.

Showing talent as a swimmer and distance runner, Alex took up modern pentathlon and in 1997 was selected for the World Junior Championships in San Antonio, Texas. He represented Australia again in that competition in 1978 and 1979.

Modern pentathlon involves five disciplines - riding, fencing, shooting, swimming and running - and was especially created for the Olympic Games by its founder Baron Pierre de Coubertin.

Alex Watson's illustrious senior career spanned four Olympic Games: Moscow in 1980, Los Angeles in 1984, Seoul in 1988 and Barcelona in 1992.

He also represented Australia at seven World Championships, was a member of the gold medal team at the 1988 'Champion of Champions' in London, and a silver medallist himself at the 1982 'Champion of Champions'. Alex Watson was also Australian Senior Modern Pentathlon Champion nine times.

He capped his distinguished Olympics career by being appointed Competition Manager for Modern Pentathlon at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.