Sarah Louise Catherwood (for a time known as Sarah Jackson, born 23 May 1980) is an Olympic swimmer from New Zealand.

Catherwood started swimming aged eight and was a teen swimming sensation; as of 2011, one of her national age 13 records still stood.^[2] She was a member of Christchurch's AquaGym Swim Club alongside Anna Simcic.^[3]

Catherwood was one of the 14 swimmers who represented New Zealand at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, United States, and she competed at one event.^[4] Aged 16, she was the youngest New Zealand swimmer in Atlanta.^[5] Catherwood was in a team with Anna Wilson, Dionne Bainbridge, and Alison Fitch to compete in the 4 × 200 metre freestyle relay.^[4] They came fifth in their heat and did not qualify for the final;^[6] their overall placement was 11th out of 21 teams.^[7] Catherwood is New Zealand Olympian number 698.^[1]

Catherwood retired after competing at the 2004 FINA World short course swimming championships in Indianapolis, USA.^[2] She improved her personal best time in 100 metres freestyle by over half a second at those championships.^[8]

In 2011 at age 30, Catherwood decided to try a comeback, with Olympic team mate Paul Kent as her trainer. At the time, she was based in Palmerston North.^[2] She later pursued her swimming career as a member of Roskill Magic, a swimming club in the Auckland suburb of Mount Roskill.^[4]

Catherwood was born in 1980 in Christchurch, New Zealand.^[5] She moved to Palmerston North in 2008 to study a veterinary degree at Massey University.^[2] After that, she moved to Auckland.^[9] Outside of swimming, Catherwood's passion is horses.^[2]