Recovering Addicts Compete in Track Meet

The 19th annual Al-ympics, an Olympics-style competition featuring hundreds of recovering drug and alcohol addicts and their families, were played out Saturday before thousands of cheering fans in the Santa Clarita Valley.

Organizers said an estimated 10,000 people gathered at College of the Canyons to watch the amateur athletes compete in more than 40 track and field events, as well as a golf tournament.

The competition was sponsored by the Antelope Valley Rehabilitation Center.

Curt Freeman, founder of the one-day event, called the Al-ympics a “celebration of sobriety.” He said recovering addicts suffered from “recreation depravation.”

Competitors were awarded medals and trophies.