Seventy-six-year-old Rita Tebbetts is over a year removed from standing at the top of the podium at the National Senior Games in St. Paul, Minn.

The senior swimming champion is already preparing for next year’s national meet in Birmingham, Ala.

Tebbetts, who said she has swam at the last five National Senior Games, has already qualified for six events at the 2017 National Senior Games, won a gold medal in the 200 individual medley and bronze medals in breaststroke and butterfly.

“It was thrilling to actually win gold and bronze medals,” Tebbetts said. “Standing on the podium was great … I try to swim almost daily and prepare for Birmingham.”

Most recently, Tebbetts competed in the State Games of Mississippi in Meridian to broaden the range of events she is qualified to race in at the Birmingham Games next year. Tebbetts swam in the event she said she’s most comfortable in which she’s competing, the 200 IM. Tebbetts said she raced in freestyle and butterfly events to earn qualifying times for nationals, although they aren’t her strongest strokes.

“I challenged my self,” Tebbetts said. “I don’t like butterfly or freestyle. I prefer breaststroke and backstroke.”

While nationals are only held on odd years, the annual state games feature a casual field of competition for Tebbett’s age group; she didn’t have a competitor in the 75- to 79-year-old bracket, but she said her most important opponent was herself.

“I usually go to (State Games) every year,” Tebbetts said. “They’re a laid back and kind of fun event. There’s a lot of camaraderie. I never feel like I have pressure to compete because I’m one of the few in my category.”

Tebbetts is now a regular competitor at the National Senior Games, but that wasn’t always the case.

Tebbetts used to compete only in state until her husband, Harvey Tebbetts, encouraged her to move up to the next level.

“I was a widow and I qualified to go but never went,” Tebbetts said. “It motivated me to stay healthy but I never wanted to travel. (Harvey) encouraged me to improve and go to these national events.”