Sun City West swimmer strikes gold in Australia

Dale Webster turned a swimming competition into an Australian holiday.

The Sun City West man won seven medals, including four gold, at the 12th FINA World Masters Championships in Perth, Australia.

"My goal was to bring home a medal in every event I swam in," said the 82-year-old Webster. "I accomplished that."

The FINA World Masters Championships are open to swimmers 25 years and older who compete in age groups of five-year intervals. The games are held every two years.

Webster participated in the 80 to 84 age division and won the 50-meter backstroke and 100 backstroke. He also swam the anchor leg for the winning team in the 200 freestyle relay and the 200 medley relay.

Webster placed second in the 50 freestyle and 100 freestyle. The Sun City West resident finished third in the 200 backstroke.

"I'm most proud of the wins I had in the backstroke," Webster said of his swimming specialty. "I was 3 seconds ahead of my closest pursuer in the 50 and 5 seconds ahead in the 100."

Webster attributed his strong performances to his coach, Lois McDonald of Sun City West.

"She is the best coach I've ever had," said Webster, who starred in swimming as a collegian at the University of California. "Good technique is what makes a good backstroker, and she spends 75 percent of our workouts on technique."

Webster's next competition will be the National Long Course Swimming Championships this August in Mount Hood, Ore.