List of Olympic mascots

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Some Olympic mascot dolls on display at the Argentine Olympic Committee museum. Museo del Comite Olimpico Argentino en marzo de 2024 - BugWarp (178).jpg
Some Olympic mascot dolls on display at the Argentine Olympic Committee museum.

The Olympic mascots are fictional characters who represent the cultural heritage of the location where the Olympic Games are taking place. They are often an animal native to the area or human figures.

Contents

One of the first Olympic mascots was created for the 1968 Winter Olympics in Grenoble; a stylized cartoon character on skis named Schuss. The first official Olympic mascot appeared in the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, and was a rainbow-colored Dachshund dog named Waldi. [1]

Since the Games in Vancouver in 2010, the Olympic and Paralympic mascots have always been presented together, which was first done in Barcelona in 1992. The Youth Olympic Games, which are run by the International Olympic Committee, have had mascots as well.

Olympic mascots

GamesCityNameTypeDesignerSignificanceImageRefs.
1932 Summer Olympics Flag of the United States.svg Los Angeles Smoky Dog The only Olympic mascot to be a real live animal. (unofficial) Smoky 1932 Olympic Village Mascot.webp [2]
1964 Summer Olympics Flag of Japan.svg Tokyo Kapa Kappa Unknown(unofficial) [3]
1968 Winter Olympics Flag of France.svg Grenoble Schuss Skier Aline LafargueAbstract figure with the colors of the flag of France. (unofficial, later recognised by the IOC) Shuss.gif [4]
1968 Summer Olympics Flag of Mexico.svg Mexico City Chac Mool Jaguar Unknown(unofficial) [5]
1972 Winter Olympics Flag of Japan.svg Sapporo Takuchan Asian black bear Seiko design departmentDesigned and marketed by sponsors of the Games. (unofficial) [6]
1972 Summer Olympics Flag of Germany.svg Munich Waldi Dachshund dogElena Winschermann [7] A popular breed in Bavaria, it represented the attributes required for athletes – resistance, tenacity and agility. Ausstellung "Olympia '72" in der Bootshalle Nord des Olympiazentrums Schilksee (Kiel 49.084).jpg [4]
1976 Winter Olympics Flag of Austria.svg Innsbruck Schneemann and Sonnenweiberl Snowman and Sun womanWalter PötschRepresenting the Games of Simplicity. [4] [8]
1976 Summer Olympics Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Montreal Amik Beaver Yvon Laroche,
Pierre-Yves Pelletier,
Guy St-Arnaud and
George Huel
Beavers are one of the national symbols of Canada. [4]
1980 Winter Olympics Flag of the United States.svg Lake Placid Roni Raccoon Donald MossIts face design resembles the hat and goggles used by competitors. It was named for the Adirondack mountain range. [4]
1980 Summer Olympics Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Moscow Misha (Миша) Brown bear Victor Chizhikov The Russian Bear was the national symbol of the Soviet Union. 1980 USSR stamp Olympic mascot.jpg [4]
1984 Winter Olympics Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg Sarajevo Vučko Wolf Jože TrobecSymbolizing the desire of humans to befriend animals. According to the IOC, it helped change the common perception in the region of wolves as frightening and blood-thirsty.[ citation needed ] Sarajevo Safeta-Hadzica 2011-11-11 (2) (cropped).jpg [4]
1984 Summer Olympics Flag of the United States.svg Los Angeles Sam Bald eagle Robert Moore
(from
The Walt Disney Company)
The national bird of the United States. Sam the Olympic Eagle plush toy.jpg [4]
1988 Winter Olympics Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Calgary Hidy and Howdy Polar bears Sheila ScottBoth represent Western Canadian hospitality. [4]
1988 Summer Olympics Flag of South Korea.svg Seoul Hodori (호돌이) Siberian tiger Hyun KimSiberian tigers are common in Korean legends. XX1088 - Seoul Paralympic Games Seoul City Shots - 4 of 12 - Scan.jpg [4]
1992 Winter Olympics Flag of France.svg Albertville Magique Man-star/snow impPhilippe MairesseThe colors of the mascot are based on those of the French flag. [4]
1992 Summer Olympics Flag of Spain.svg Barcelona Cobi Catalan sheepdog Javier Mariscal Drawn in avant-garde, cubist style Figureta d'en Cobi (2).jpg [4]
1994 Winter Olympics Flag of Norway.svg Lillehammer Håkon and Kristin HumansKari and Werner GrossmanBoth are dressed in Viking clothes. They are the first Olympic mascots to be human figures. [4]
1996 Summer Olympics Flag of the United States.svg Atlanta Izzy UnknownJohn RyanThe first computer-generated mascot. Izzy Olympic mascot plush toy.jpg [4]
1998 Winter Olympics Flag of Japan.svg Nagano The Snowlets :
Sukki, Nokki, Lekki and Tsukki
Owls Pierre-Laurent Thève/Landor Associates, ParisRepresenting the four major islands of Japan. The first syllable of each name combines phonetically to create the word "Snowlets". [4]
2000 Summer Olympics Flag of Australia (converted).svg Sydney Olly
(from "Olympic")
Kookaburra Jozef Szekeres, Matthew HattonRepresenting the Olympic spirit of generosity. VH-CZT 2 B737-33A Ansett (Olympic spl cs) MEL 25SEP99 (6286079561) (cropped).jpg [4]
Syd
(from "Sydney")
Platypus Representing the environment and energy of the people of Australia.
Millie
(from "Millennium")
Echidna Representing the Millennium. All three mascots are common wild animals found in Australia.
2002 Winter Olympics Flag of the United States.svg Salt Lake City Powder
(a.k.a. Swifter)
Snowshoe hare Steve Small,
Landor Associates
and Publicis
All three mascots are indigenous animals of the U.S. state of Utah, and are named after natural resources important to the state's economy. These animals are major characters in the legends of local American Indians, and these legends are reflected in the story of each mascot. To remind them of this heritage, all mascots wear a charm around their neck with a petroglyph image. 2002 Winter Olympics mascots.jpg [9] [4] [10]
Copper
(a.k.a. Higher)
Coyote
Coal
(a.k.a. Stronger)
American black bear
2004 Summer Olympics Flag of Greece.svg Athens Athena and Phevos (Αθηνά και Φοίβος) Daidala DollsSpyros GogosTwo modern children resembling ancient Greek dolls. Athena and Phebos.jpg [4]
2006 Winter Olympics Flag of Italy.svg Turin Neve and Gliz Snowball and Ice cube Pedro Albuquerque"Snow and Ice". Neve ("Snow" in Italian) is a humanized female snowball that wears red and represents "softness, friendship and elegance." Gliz (a shortened form of Ghiaccio, "Ice" in Italian) is a humanized male ice cube who wears blue and represents "enthusiasm and joy." Gliz and Neve (102298258).jpg [4]
2008 Summer Olympics Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg Beijing The Fuwa (福娃):
Beibei, Jingjing, Huanhuan, Yingying, Nini
Koi, giant panda, Olympic Flame, Tibetan antelope, swallow Han Meilin The five names form the Chinese phrase "Beijing huan ying ni" (北京欢迎你), which means "Beijing welcomes you". Each representing an Olympic ring and Feng Shui element. Fuwa - China's Super-Powered Olympic Mascots (2440146101).jpg [4]
2010 Winter Olympics Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Vancouver Miga Sea Bear Meomi Design
(a group of
Vicki Wong and
Michael Murphy)
Part orca and part kermode bear Rogge Miga and Quatchi.jpg [4]
Quatchi Sasquatch From Canadian mythology
Mukmuk Vancouver Island marmot Not an official mascot, but their designated "sidekick".
2012 Summer Olympics Flag of the United Kingdom.svg London Wenlock A drop of steel with a camera for an eye.IrisNamed after the village of Much Wenlock in Shropshire – which hosted a precursor to the modern Olympic Games in the 19th century. It represents the UK's start of the Industrial Revolution. Olympic mascots (cropped).jpg [4] [11] [12]
2014 Winter Olympics Flag of Russia.svg Sochi Bely Mishka, Leopard, and Zaika (Леопард, Зайка, Белый Мишка)Polar bear, snow leopard, and hareSilvia Petrova, Vadim Pak, Oleg SerdechnyFirst mascots decided by popular vote. Stamps of Russia 2012 No 1559-61 Mascots 2014 Winter Olympics.jpg [4]
2016 Summer Olympics Flag of Brazil.svg Rio de Janeiro Vinicius A hybrid animal representing all Brazilian mammalsLuciana Eguti and Paulo MuppetInspired by Brazilian fauna. Named after the poet and bossa nova composer Vinicius de Moraes, decided by popular vote. 2016 Summer Olympic Mascot Vinicius.jpg [4]
2018 Winter Olympics Flag of South Korea.svg Pyeongchang Soohorang (수호랑)A white tigerMASS C&GA white tiger. The tiger is an animal closely related to Korean mythology, and is a symbol of trust, strength, and protection. 2018 Winter Olympic Mascot Soohorang.jpg [4]
2020 Summer Olympics Flag of Japan.svg Tokyo Miraitowa (ミライトワ)RobotRyo TaniguchiA superhero-inspired robot that embodies both old tradition and new innovation. The Olympic mascot was chosen from several designs submitted by schoolchildren and illustrators throughout Japan. 100 Yen 2020 Tokyo Olympics obverse R1 Miraitowa.gif [4]
2022 Winter Olympics Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg Beijing Bing Dwen Dwen (冰墩墩) Panda Cao XueWith a suit of ice, a heart of gold and a love of all things winter sports, this panda is ready to share the true spirit of the Olympics with the whole world. Bing Dwen Dwen at Yanqing Winter Olympic Cultural Square.jpg [4]
2024 Summer Olympics Flag of France.svg Paris Olympic Phryge Phrygian cap Gilles DelerisBased on the Phrygian cap, a symbol of the French Revolution. Phryge olympique Brest 2024 (cropped).jpg [13] [14]
2026 Winter Olympics Flag of Italy.svg MilanCortina d'Ampezzo Tina Ermine Students of the Istituto Comprensivo of Taverna in CalabriaTina's name is derived from Cortina d'Ampezzo, one of the two host cities. [15]

Youth Olympic mascots

GamesCityNameTypeDesignerSignificanceImageRefs.
2010 Summer Youth Olympics Singapore Lyo and Merly Red male lion (Lyo), Blue female merlion (Merly)Cubix InternationalThe two characters are an allusion to the "Lion City" label of Singapore, and the Merlion, a national symbol of Singapore, respectively. MerlyandLyo-YouthOlympicGamesSuperStore-Singapore-20100505 (cropped).jpg [16]
2012 Winter Youth Olympics Innsbruck Yoggl Alpine ChamoisFlorencia Demaría and Luis Andrés Abbiati of ArgentinaYoggl represents the character of the host city of these games Yoggl - Gala Nacht des Sports 2011.jpg [17]
2014 Summer Youth Olympics Nanjing Lele(砳砳) Yuhua Stone LeLe is inspired by a unique natural feature of the host city known as the "Rain-Flower Pebble" (also translated as "Riverstone"). The design of the mascot takes the typical shape and appearance of this stone but in a creative and artistic way, highlighting the colours from the emblem's palette. The word 'lele' represents the sound of stones colliding together and is pronounced like the Chinese word meaning happiness or joy. Delegacion argentina YOG 2014 (cropped).jpg [18]
2016 Winter Youth Olympics Lillehammer Sjogg LynxLine AnsethmoenThe name "Sjogg" translates to "Snow" in the Gudbrandsdalsmål dialects Sjogg in town (21648317444) (cropped).jpg [19]
2018 Summer Youth Olympics Buenos Aires Pandi JaguarHuman Full AgencyPandi's name is a combination of the scientific name of the jaguar (Panthera onca) and the relationship of the mascot with the "digital world". 2018-10-08 Shooting at 2018 Summer Youth Olympics - Girls' 10 metre air rifle (Martin Rulsch) 138.jpg [20] [21] [22]
2020 Winter Youth Olympics Lausanne Yodli A cow, Saint Bernard dog and a goat hybrid.ERACOMYodli is a cross between a cow, goat, and the Saint Bernard breed of dog, all of which are commonly found in the Swiss mountains. It was named after yodeling. Lausanne 2020 Torch Tour in Sarnen 09.jpg [23]
2024 Winter Youth Olympics Gangwon Province Moongcho SnowballSoo-Yeon ParkThe character was conceived as a snowball created in a snowball fight between Soohorang and Bandabi. MELIKA MIRZAE(3).jpg [24]

See also

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References

Notes

  1. "History of Olympic Mascots 1968–2014 – Photos & Origins". www.olympic.org. Retrieved 22 October 2015.
  2. "Smoky Quits Olympic Village: Mascot Settles Down in New Home". The Los Angeles Times. 23 September 1932. p. 36. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  3. "Tokyo 1964 – Mythological Creature (unofficial mascot)". TheOlympicDesign. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 "A look back at Olympic mascots through the years | NBC Olympics". www.nbcolympics.com. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  5. "Mexico 1968 – Chac Mool (unofficial mascot)". theolympicdesign – Olympic Design Webseite!. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  6. "Sapporo 1972 – Takuchan (unofficial mascot)". TheOlympicDesign. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
  7. "Photos and History". Olympics.com. 17 December 2020. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
  8. "Innsbruck 1976 – Mascot Schneemandl". theolympicdesign. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
  9. Utah Travel Industry. "2002 Winter Olympics: Emblems and Mascots". Archived from the original on 21 November 2010. Retrieved 3 November 2010.
  10. Salt Lake Organizing Committee (2001). Reach: An Educators Guide to the Olympic Winter Games and Paralympic Winter Games of 2002. p. 16. Retrieved 20 October 2010.
  11. "2012 London Mascots launched to the World" . Retrieved 21 October 2015.
  12. Farquhar, Gordon (19 May 2010). "BBC Sport – London 2012 unveils Games mascots Wenlock and Mandeville". BBC Online . BBC Online . Retrieved 19 May 2010.
  13. "Avec ses produits dérivés, Paris 2024 veut faire sauter la banque". 29 October 2021.
  14. Belam, Martin (14 November 2022). "Meet the Phryges: Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic mascots unveiled". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  15. Fenton, Caela (8 February 2024). "Meet Tina and Milo, the mascots for Milano Cortina 2026". Team Canada - Official Olympic Team Website. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  16. "Singapore unveil mascots for 2010 Youth Olympics". www.insidethegames.biz. 27 November 2009. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  17. "Innsbruck 2012 Youth Olympic Games mascot unveiled". www.insidethegames.biz. 10 February 2011. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  18. "Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games Mascot Unveiled". www.olympic.org. Retrieved 22 October 2015.
  19. "Lillehammer 2016 mascot named Sjogg". www.insidethegames.biz. 12 December 2014. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  20. "Buenos AIres 2018 on Twitter". Twitter (in Spanish). Retrieved 29 May 2018. La elección de #Pandi se debe a la combinación entre su nombre científico que es "Panthera Onca" y su relación con el mundo digital.
  21. "Buenos Aires 2018 unveils #Pandi the jaguar as official mascot". www.insidethegames.biz. 29 May 2018. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  22. "Buenos Aires 2018 presents mascot for Youth Olympic Games - Trackalerts.com, track and field news website". 29 May 2018. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  23. "Yodli unveiled as mascot for Lausanne 2020 Winter Youth Olympic Games". www.insidethegames.biz. 8 January 2019. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  24. "Designer of Gangwon 2024's official mascot reflects on journey : Korea.net : The official website of the Republic of Korea". www.korea.net. Retrieved 2 August 2024.