FAIRHOPE, Alabama — Last month local athletes from Baldwin County joined others from around the state to participate in the 30^th annual Alabama Sports Festival Games in Birmingham.

The Alabama Games, celebrating their 30^th anniversary, is an event the United States Olympic Committee puts on yearly to give athletes of all ages the ability to compete in Olympic-style events in the state of Alabama.

Participants had the opportunity to participate in a wide-range of individual sports such as: Track and Field, swimming, gymnastics, and shooting. Team sports such as, basketball, baseball, and soccer were also part of the event.

During this three-day event athletes competed in 25 sports and over 100 different sporting events.

Overall there were more than 90 athletes from the Mobile and Baldwin County area.

“We had a great turnout, our opening ceremonies were fantastic.” Communications Director Chris Wilkins said. “We feel this is moving in the right direction as far as putting a good product out there for the youth of Alabama.”

There were five medal winners from Baldwin County including Michael Cook (Point Clear), who competed in rifle and pistol competitions, and Glenn Iron (Spanish Fort) who competed in track and field. Cook and Iron combined to win 8 medals; both Cook and Iron won two gold medals in their events.

“It was a great competition with great facilities” Cook said. “I really enjoyed it; there were people from all over the state who came to compete.

Competing in this event gives athletes such as cook and Iron a chance to compete against others they may not have ever competed against before.

“It’s a good deal.” Cook said. “You stay in the south part of the state and you see the people from the south all the time, you don’t often get to shoot against the guys from the northern part of the state.”

Joining Cook and Iron on the medal stand were Amari Davis from Bay Minette, Ivan Shultz from Spanish Fort, and Maurice Cole from Daphne.

All three competitors won a gold medal with Cole and Davis also winning silver. Overall competitors from Baldwin County won 16 medals, including the A & N soccer team who won silver. Of the 16 medals seven of those were gold.

The 31^st annual Alabama Sports Festival Games will be held June 21-23, 2013 in Birmingham.