The State Games of Mississippi honored its 2018 Athletes of the Year Saturday evening at the Tommy Delaney Center in Meridian.

Megan Heggie was named the 2018 Youth Athlete of the Year; Ray Gildea was named the 2018 Male Athlete of the Year, and Kylie Joiner was named the 2018 Female Athlete of the Year.

Heggie, a Meridian resident and Mississippi Swim Association member, also received her seventh consecutive Most Improved Swimmer Award. The 14-year-old swimmer shattered numerous records from various age groups. Heggie will run with the torch during the 2019 State Games of Mississippi.

Joiner is a 20-year participant of the State Games of Mississippi and a Decatur resident. In total, she has received gold medals in the softball, the 5K event and the trail run. She has also received a silver medal in soccer.

Gildea has accumulated more than 118 State Games of Mississippi medals throughout his 27 years of participating in the yearly competition. The Madison resident has competed in the marathon, track-and-field and road racing events, and has run in 161 marathons.