Jayna Tomac was a four-time champion and the other four South Coast swimmers competing at the Masters National Swimming Championships earned medals in their events.

Karen Matson set the tone for the local swimmers by finishing fifth in the first race of the championships, the 1,500-meter swim for the 45-49 age group.

Matson finished in 20 minutes, 37.49 seconds, in a very tough age group, and could end the year ranked fifth in the age group as a result of her time.

The following day, Tomac took the first of her two individual titles in the 35-39 age group, racing to the title in the 50 breaststroke with a time of 36.71. She later won the 100 breaststroke in a time of 1:21.62.

“Winning was an incredible achievement that I put my mind to accomplish,” Tomac said. “Touching first place twice in my individual events was almost unbelievable. It is a neat feeling to think to myself that I swam faster than any other woman, with the exception of the Olympic trial swimmers.”

Tomac also finished second in the 50 freestyle, third in the 200 breaststroke and sixth in the 200 individual medley.

Tomac also was on two winning relays. She swam on the 120-159 (combined ages) mixed freestyle relay and the 160-199 women’s medley relay, in which she swam the breaststroke.

The freestyle relay, which also included two men, finished in 1:48.68.

In the latter relay, Bay Area swimmer Denise Stuntzner-Gibson joined Tomac, swimming the butterfly leg to also become a national champion.

Team member Val Jenkins set an age group world record while leading off the relay with the backstroke leg, while the fourth team member, Ellen Ferguson, competed against Stuntzner-Gibson when they were teenagers.

The team’s time of 2:07.91 was the fastest of any of the women’s medley relays.

Stuntzner-Gibson also swam four individual events in the 45-49 age group, with her best finish a second-place in the 100 butterfly. She also finished third in the 50 butterfly, fourth in the 100 freestyle and eighth in the 200 freestyle.

“For me, this was a great experience,” said Stuntzner-Gibson, adding that she was thrilled with her efforts on the second day, when her 50-meter butterfly time of 31.29 was as good as her prime. Her times in the 100 butterfly and 100 freestyle were about five seconds off her lifetime bests, set when she was 18.

“I find that so hard to believe, given the greatly reduced level of training in comparison, now versus then,” she said. “And I’m sure that I can swim even faster.

“One thing I’ve discovered this year is that I am still very competitive. For me, it’s all about seeing what I can do with my times. I am very curious about that at this age.”

Tomac’s times all were personal bests for her adult career.

“My goal is to swim faster than I did in college,” she said. “Denise and I achieved that goal each in one event, which is amazing. It just proves that you can achieve what you put your mind to at any age.

“It was awe-inspiring to qualify and experience nationals with such a warm-spirited group of people we swim with here in Coos Bay. It feels great to be a national champion and be part of such a great group of swimmers.”

Nina Gee swam in her first ever meet, competing in the 75-79 age group, and placed fifth overall.

Ralph Mohr placed in three events, taking third in the 1,500 freestyle, seventh in the 400 freestyle and 11th in the 200 freestyle.

“I swam fine in the morning and lousy in the afternoon,” Mohr said. “The smog in Portland made it hard to breathe.”

The group is planning for meets in the fall and Stuntzner-Gibson said some members of the group are talking about competing in the short-course nationals next May in Clovis, Calif.

Information about masters swimming now is posted on the pool deck at Mingus Park Pool in Coos Bay.