MARIETTA - Athletes from around Georgia have been competing in the Special Olympics Georgia 2010 state indoor winter games in Cobb this weekend.

This year marks the Special Olympics Georgia's 40th anniversary. In 1970, 500 athletes competed, compared to nearly 23,000 annually now. More than 1,800 participants are competing in the winter games this weekend, including 160 from Cobb.

The games began Friday with an opening ceremony at the Cobb Civic Center at the corner of South Marietta Parkway and Fairground Street in Marietta. Games were conducted Saturday and continue today with basketball from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at both the civic center and Fair Oaks Recreation Center at 1465 Booth Road Extension off Powder Springs Street in Marietta. Floor hockey will be from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Marietta Middle School gymnasium on Winn Street.

The games are free and open to the public.

The Special Olympics provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Participants have been competing in basketball, bowling, floor hockey, power lifting, artistic gymnastics and roller skating at the winter games.

The games provide opportunities to develop physical fitness and encourage friendly competition, said Special Olympics Georgia spokeswoman Wendy Bigham.

"Not only are the athletes able to stay healthy and exercise, they're able to compete with peers on an equal playing ground," she said.

"A lot of times children and adults with intellectual disabilities don't always go to the gym and work out with their friends. So there is limited access to things like recreation. With Special Olympics, they're able to exercise, practice and compete."

Vickie Dillard, 23, of Moultrie, competed in floor hockey on Saturday. The game is similar to ice hockey, except it's played with straight sticks on a regular, hard surface. Dillard said the Special Olympics for her is about "having fun, playing with the athletes and getting along with your friends."

Dillard's coach, Shelia Hill, said her south Georgia team gets excited about the possibility of winning gold medals. By Saturday afternoon, they had already won one of their games.

"I'm happy when they're happy," Hill said. "There are no winners or losers as long as they're happy and everyone did their best."

The Special Olympics Georgia 2010 summer games are scheduled in May in Atlanta. For more information on the current winter games and other events, visit SpecialOlympicsGa.org.