List of Asian Games mascots

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The Asian Games mascots are fictional characters, usually an animal native to the area or human figures, who represent the cultural heritage of the place where the Asian Games are taking place. The mascots are often used to help market the Asian Games to a younger audience. Every Asian Games since 1982 has its own mascot. Appu, the mascot for the 1982 Asian Games, was the first mascot.

Contents

Asian Games mascots

GamesCityMascotCharacterSignificance
1982 Asian Games New Delhi Appu Indian elephant
1986 Asian Games Seoul Hodori Siberian tiger Common in Korean legends. Also used in the 1988 Summer Olympics.
1986 Asian Winter Games Sapporo Unnamed mascot Squirrel
1990 Asian Games Beijing Pan Pan Panda
1990 Asian Winter Games Sapporo Unnamed mascot Squirrel
1994 Asian Games Hiroshima Poppo and CuccuTwo white doves Poppo and Cuccu, male and female respectively, represent peace and harmony. [1]
1996 Asian Winter Games Harbin DoudouCharacter inspired by the pea plant
1998 Asian Games Bangkok Chai-yo Thai elephant Elephants are admired in Thailand for their big stature, fortitude and strength. The mascot's name "Chai-yo", means "hurrah" in Thai and represents unity and solidarity. [2]
1999 Asian Winter Games Kangwon Gomdori Half-moon black bear cub
2002 Asian Games Busan Duria Seagull Seagulls are sometimes called the city bird of Busan. The mascot's name, "Duria", is a combination of the two words 'Durative' and 'Asia'. It can also mean "You and Me Together" in the Korean language and expresses the ideal of the Games: to promote unity and partnership among Asian countries. [3]
2003 Asian Winter Games Aomori Winta Black woodpecker
2006 Asian Games Doha OrryQatari oryx The oryx is a native antelope of the Middle East and the national animal of Qatar. Orry was chosen by the games' Organising Committee to represent energy, determination, sportsmanship spirit, commitment, enthusiasm, participation, respect, peace and fun. [4]
2007 Asian Winter Games Changchun Lulu Sika deer The sika deer is a native deer of East Asia. In Chinese culture, this deer is considered to be a symbol of good luck and fortune. [5]
2010 Asian Games Guangzhou A Xiang, A He, A Ru, A Yi and Le YangyangFive goat ramsThe Chinese character "yang," or "goat," is an auspicious symbol because, when read together, the Chinese names of the five rams are a message of blessing, literally meaning "harmony, blessings, success and happiness" (祥和如意樂洋洋). [6] Guangzhou is also called "the Goat City" (羊城) or "Five Goats City" (五羊城).
2011 Asian Winter Games Astana and Almaty Irby Snow leopard [7]
2014 Asian Games Incheon Barame, Chumuro, and VichuonThree spotted seals The mascots' name means wind, dance and light in Korean. According to the organizers, the mascots were chosen as symbolic to the future peace between South Korea and North Korea. [8]
2017 Asian Winter Games Sapporo Ezomon Flying squirrel The mascot is modeled after a very special type of flying squirrel only found in the Hokkaido region of Japan. [9]
2018 Asian Games Jakarta and Palembang Bhin Bhin Bird-of-paradise The mascots reflect Indonesia's diversity with three animals, each from different regions in Indonesia. Bhin Bhin wear a vest with Asmat traditional motifs from the Papua, Eastern Indonesia Region, which symbolize strategy. Atung wear a batik tumpal sarong from Central Indonesian Region, which symbolizes speed and a "Never give up fighting" spirit. Kaka (originally named Ika) wear a flower motif from Palembang's Songket scraf that represents Western Indonesia Region, which symbolize power. [10]
Atung Bawean deer
Kaka Javan rhinoceros
2022 Asian Games Hangzhou Congcong, Lianlian, and ChenchenThree futuristic robot charactersEach mascot reflects a World Heritage of Hangzhou. Congcong reflects jade cong from the Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City. Chenchen reflects Gongchen Bridge on the Grand Canal. Lianlian reflects lotus from the West Lake. The whole group is named as 'Jiangnanyi', meaning 'Remembering Jiangnan', originated from the title of a famous ci poem in praise of the landscape of the city, written by Bai Juyi, then prefect of Hangzhou. [11]
2025 Asian Winter Games Harbin Binbin and NiniA pair of Siberian tigers.In traditional Chinese culture, the tiger, as a symbol of auspiciousness, is endowed with lots of positive qualities, among which integrity, strength, and courage are highly compatible with the spirit of the Olympic Games.
2026 Asian Games Nagoya ホノホン(Honohon) Flame/Shachihoko The name "Honohon" comes from “Honoho”, which is said to be the origin of the word “flame”. This name comes from the fact that the fire stands tall and shines brightly, resembling an ear of rice. The mascot is based on the Shachihoko, which is a symbol of Aichi-Nagoya. The mascot was born from the passion and flame in the hearts of the athletes who will gather in Aichi-Nagoya from all over Asia. It loves sports, and its mission is to wildly appeal the Asian Games and to bring people together beyond race and culture through sports and a wish for peace.
2030 Asian Games Doha TBATBATBA
2034 Asian Games Riyadh TBATBATBA

Asian Beach Games mascots

GamesCityMascotCharacterSignificance
2008 Asian Beach Games Bali ProvinceJalak bali Bali starling This is a bird species endemic to the island of Bali.
2010 Asian Beach Games Muscat Al Jebel Tahr
Al Reeh Houbara bustard
Al Med Green turtle
2012 Asian Beach Games Haiyang Sha Sha, Yang Yang, and Hai HaiCharacters inspired by dragons and phoenixes. [12]
2014 Asian Beach Games Phuket Sintu, Sakorn, and SamutThree green sea turtles In Thai, "Sintu", "Sakorn", and "Samut" all mean water. The sea turtle is a symbol of endurance, development, sustainability and growth. [13]
2016 Asian Beach Games Da Nang Chim Yen Swiftlet Special characteristic of the southern central coastal region of Vietnam is famous for its bird nests - a product of high economic value in general and a specialty of Da Nang in particular.
2023 Asian Beach Games Sanya Yaya Eld's deer The eld's deer is the indigenous animal reputed as the "Elf of Hainan Island" and a Class I Key Protected Species in China. The first "ya" of the mascot's name comes from "Sanya", and the second one comes from Asia, whose Chinese name is "Yazhou".

Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games mascots

GamesCityMascotCharacterSignificance
2005 Asian Indoor Games Bangkok Hey and HáCouple of elephants The blue and athletic elephant was named Hey and the yellow and plump one was Há. They were to convey the meaning of amusement, merriment and relaxation, thus in a way reflecting the natures of the Asian Indoor Games a great deal.
2007 Asian Indoor Games Macau Mei Mei Black-faced spoonbill [14]
2009 Asian Indoor Games Hanoi Gà Hồ Hồ chicken The Hồ chicken is a distinctly Vietnamese rare breed of chicken, familiar as a symbol in Vietnam. According to folklore, the chicken have the five qualities of a man of honour: literacy, martial arts, physical strength, humanity and loyalty.
2009 Asian Martial Arts Games Bangkok Hanuman Yindee Monkey "Hanuman" is a white – creamy super monkey from Ramakien and considers it as the God of the ape which has every kind of fighting skill with strong determination of great success. [15]
2013 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games Incheon Barame, Chumuro, and VichuanThree spotted seal See 2014 Asian Games.
2017 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games Ashgabat Wepaly Central Asian Shepherd Dog The mascot's name means loyal friend in Turkmen. The Central Asian Shepherd Dog, locally known as Alabai is renowned as a courageous animal for many centuries has helped Turkmen shepherds to safeguard flocks of cattle in heavy conditions. [16]
2021 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games Bangkok and Chonburi Fighting Parrot Parrot The official mascot depicting a fighting parrot wearing a mongkhon (a type of headgear worn by Muay Thai athletes) who has intelligence, agility and a fighting spirit, making a gesture of inviting athletes and sports competitors to the victory of friendship. [17]

Asian Youth Games mascots

GamesCityMascotCharacterSignificance
2009 Asian Youth Games Singapore Frasia Lion The mascot's name, "Frasia", means Friends of Asia. [18] The mascot embodies the values and spirit of the Asian Youth Games. The sprightly lion exemplifies friendship, respect and excellence. It constitutes a spirited representation of young hearts and minds in pursuit of sporting excellence. [19]
2013 Asian Youth Games Nanjing Yuan Yuan Eosimias sinensis Eosimias sinensis is the earliest higher primate to date found in Jiangsu Province. [20]
2025 Asian Youth Games Tashkent Beka Caspian tiger The mascot represents the 1970s-extinct Caspian tiger, and was unveiled by accident.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Asian Games</span> Asian multi-sport event

The Asian Games, also known as Asiad, is a continental multi-sport event held every fourth year among athletes from all over Asia. The Games were regulated by the Asian Games Federation (AGF) from the first Games in New Delhi, India in 1951, until the 1978 Games. Since the 1982 Games, they have been organized by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), after the breakup of the Asian Games Federation. The Games are recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and are described as the second largest multi-sport event after the Olympic Games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1994 Asian Games</span> Multi-sport event in Hiroshima, Japan

The 1994 Asian Games, also known as the XII Asiad and the 12th Asian Games or simply Hiroshima 1994, were held from October 2 to 16, 1994, in Hiroshima, Japan.This is first on Games'history that a country non-capital city hosted the event.The main theme of this edition was to promote peace and harmony among Asian nations. This concept was used due the historical fact that the city was the site of the first atomic bomb attack 49 years earlier. Due to the 1991 Gulf War, Iraq was suspended from the games. The games debuted the five Asian former republics of the Soviet Union: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1998 Asian Games</span> Multi-sport event in Bangkok, Thailand

The 1998 Asian Games, officially known as the 13th Asian Games and the XIII Asiad,, or simply Bangkok 1998, was an Asian multi-sport event celebrated in Bangkok, Thailand from December 6 to 20, 1998, with 377 events in 36 sports and disciplines participated by 6,554 athletes across the continent. The sporting events commenced on 30 November 1998, a week earlier than the opening ceremony. It is a last time that the multi-sport event would be held in Bangkok until the 2007 Summer Universiade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010 Asian Games</span> Multi-sport event in Guangzhou, China

The 2010 Asian Games, officially known as the XVI Asian Games and also known as Guangzhou 2010, were a regional multi-sport event that had taken place from November 12 to 27, 2010 in Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. It was the second time China hosted the Asian Games, with the first one being Asian Games 1990 in Beijing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2007 Asian Winter Games</span> Multi-sport event in Changchun, China

The 6th Asian Winter Games, also known as Changchun 2007, were held in Changchun, Jilin, China from January 28 to February 4, 2007. The Winter Games are a celebration of Winter sports in Asia. This was the second time that China hosted the Asian Winter Games; the first was in Harbin, Heilongjiang in 1996.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2009 Asian Martial Arts Games</span>

2009 Asian Martial Arts Games, officially the 1st Asian Martial Arts Games, were a pancontinential martial arts multi-sport event held in Bangkok, Thailand from 1 to 9 August 2009 with 9 events contested. Due to Political crisis in Thailand And 2009 Swine Flu, the Bangkok Asian Martial Arts Games Organizing Committee (BAMAGOC) and the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Thailand decided that Asian Martial Arts Games moved from the original schedule of 25 April to 3 May to 1 to 9 August.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Asian Youth Games</span> International multi-sport event

The Asian Youth Games, also known as AYG, is a multi-sport event held every four years among athletes from all over Asia. The Games have been organized by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA). The Games are described as the second largest multi-sport event after the Asian Games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010 Asian Para Games</span>

The 2010 Asian Para Games, also known as the First Asian Para Games, was a parallel sport event for Asian athletes with a disability held in Guangzhou, China. Two weeks after the conclusion of the 16th Asian Games, It opened on December 12 and closed on December 19, 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Asian Para Games</span> Multi-sport event

The Asian Para Games, also known as Para Asiad, is a multi-sport event regulated by the Asian Paralympic Committee that's held every four years after every Asian Games for athletes with physical disabilities. Both events had adopted the strategy used by the Olympic and Paralympic Games of having both games in the same city. However, the exclusion of Asian Para Games from Asian Games host city contract meant that both events ran independently of each other. The Games are recognized by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and are described as the second largest multi-sport event after the Paralympic Games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">China at the Asian Games</span> Sporting event delegation

People's Republic of China first competed at the Asian Games in 1974. During that year, China became the second nation in the history of Asian Games after Japan to cross the 100 medal-mark in one edition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Japan at the Asian Games</span> Japanese teams successful participation at Asian Games

Japan has competed at the Asian Games since their inception in 1951, held in New Delhi, India. The National Olympic Committee of Japan, Japanese Olympic Committee, is responsible for organizing Japan's participation in the Asian Games. The Committee was established in 1911 and recognized by the International Olympic Committee in 1912; it is also the oldest Asian National Olympic Committee. Japan has a distinguished achievement among all Asian sport teams, being the only one to have won at least 20 gold medals at every Asian Games.

Ramada Asia-Pacific is the regional arm of the Ramada International hotel chain operated by the Wyndham Hotel Group. The Wyndham Hotel Group franchises hotels and provides property management services around the globe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010 Asian Games torch relay</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010 Asian Games medal table</span>

The 2010 Asian Games, also known as the XVI Asiad, was a multi-sport event held in Guangzhou, China from 12 to 27 November 2010. The event saw 9,704 athletes from 45 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) competing in 476 events in 42 sports. This medal table ranks the participating NOCs by the number of gold medals won by their athletes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 Asian Games</span> Multi-sport event in Hangzhou, China

The 2022 Asian Games, officially the 19th Asian Games and also known as Hangzhou 2022, were a continental multi-sport event which was held from 23 September to 8 October 2023 in Hangzhou, China. The games marked the 110th anniversary since the creation of the first continental event, starting with the 1913 Far Eastern Championship Games.

Dancesport is a competitive team sport which includes ballroom dancing. The sport became a part of the Asian Games as a medal sport in 2010 in Guangzhou, People's Republic of China. International governing body of Dancesport, World DanceSport Federation, was recognized by the International Olympic Committee in 1995, and subsequently in 1997 the Asian representative of the sport, Asian DanceSport Federation, was recognized by the Olympic Council of Asia. After the recognition of the Asian DanceSport Federation, the sport was demonstrated at the 1998 Asian Games in Bangkok, Thailand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kazakhstan at the 1994 Asian Games</span> Sporting event delegation

Kazakhstan participated in the 1994 Asian Games from October 2 to October 16, 1994 in Hiroshima, Japan, which was the country's first appearance at the Asian Games since gaining independence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bids for the 2018 Asian Games</span>

Three cities submitted bids to host the 2018 Asian Games that were recognized by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA). The games were awarded to Hanoi, Vietnam. The other shortlisted city was Surabaya, Indonesia. This came after Dubai and the United Arab Emirates pulled out of the running at the last minute during the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) General Assembly meeting on November 8, 2012.

Bids for the Asian Games is the process where National Olympic Committees select from within their national territory cities to put forward bids to host an Asian Games.

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