Rick Abbott, a 63-year-old from Anchorage, collected five medals, including two golds, to lead a group of 10 Alaska swimmers at the U.S. Masters Swimming spring championships last week in Indianapolis.
Abbott, competing in the men's 60-64 age group, won the 100 backstroke (59.9 seconds) and 50 free (23.58 seconds). He placed second in the 50 butterfly (25.42) and third in the 50 back (28.04) and 100 individual medley (1:00.52).
All of his times established Alaska age-group records.
Other Alaska swimmers with top-10 finishes were Ruth Carter in the women's 55-59 age group (seventh in 200 free, eighth in 100 breaststroke, 10th in 50 free); Signe Pignalberi in the women's 35-39 age group (ninth in 50 back, ninth in 200 backstroke); Kristine Miller in the women's 25-29 age group (eighth in the 1,650 free) and Lauren Langford in the women's 25-29 age group (10th in the 50 free).
The meet, held at the Indianapolis University Natatorium, attracted 2,378 swimmers from 269 clubs around the nation.