From adorable animals to a little red hat, Olympic mascots have been symbols of the Olympic Games, reflecting the spirit and culture of host cities for over 50 years. These friendly caricatures bring the Games to life with exuberance. But how did the tradition of Olympic mascots begin?
It started with "Schuss," a little man on skis, created for the 1968 Grenoble Winter Olympics. But it was "Waldi," a dachshund, that was the first official Olympic Summer Games mascot. Waldi made his debut at the 1972 Munich Games and symbolized resilience, tenacity and agility. Since then, mascots have ranged from endearing animals to imaginative caricatures, each adding a distinctive touch to the Games.
KPBS invited you to rank your favorite Summer Olympic mascots. Now, the votes are in and the gold goes to ...
Results
- Waldi: Munich, Germany, 1972 (34%) 🥇
- Sam: Los Angeles, USA, 1984 (13%) 🥈
- Misha: Moscow, Russia, 1980 (10%) 🥉
- Vinicius: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 2016 (9%)
- Miraitowa: Tokyo, Japan, 2020 (5.5%)
Amik: Montreal, Canada, 1976 (5.5%) - Syd, Olly and Millie: Sydney, Australia, 2000 (5%)
- Beibei, Jingjing, Huanhuan, Yingying and Nini: Beijing, China, 2008 (4%)
The Phryges: Paris, France, 2024 (4%) - Izzy: Atlanta, USA, 1996 (3%)
Wenlock: London, England, 2012 (3%) - Hodori: Seoul, South Korea, 1988 (2%)
- Cobi: Barcelona, Spain, 1992 (1%)
Phevos and Athena: Athens, Greece, 2004 (1%)
See all Summer Olympics mascots
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Waldi, a dachshund, was the first official mascot of the Olympic Games in 1972.
Elena Winschermann
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Sam the Eagle was the U.S. mascot for the 1984 Olympic Games. He was designed to embody the "optimism of the Olympic spirit," according to the International Olympic Committee.
C. Robert Moore, Walt Disney Productions
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Mikhail Potapych Toptygin, a bear created by Victor Chizhikov, was selected as a mascot due to its familiarity in Russian culture. Mikhail was the mascot for the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow, Russia.
Victor Chizhikov
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Vinicius is the 2016 Olympic mascot for Rio, Brazil. He was named after Brazilian poet and lyricist Vinicius de Moraes, is a mix of various animals intended to embody the diversity of the Brazilian people and culture.
Birdo Produções
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Miraitowa, Japan's mascot for the 2020 Olympic Games, derives its name from the Japanese words "mirai" (future) and "towa" (eternity).
Ryo Taniguchi
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Amik, a beaver, was the mascot for the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal. The beaver was chosen as a symbol because it represents hard work and is a reminder of the significant role it played in Canada's development.
Guy St-Arnaud, Yvon Laroche and Pierre-Yves Pelletier, under the leadership of Georges Huel
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Syd, Olly and Millie are a duck-billed platypus, a kookaburra and an echidna, respectively. Their names reference Sydney, the Olympics, and the new millennium, symbolizing the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia.
Matthew Hatton
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Beijing had five mascots for the 2008 Olympics: Beibei, Jingjing, Huanhuan, Yingying, Nini. Each name links together to form “Welcome to Beijing.”
Han Meilin
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France's Olympic mascot, named Phryge, is inspired by the Phrygian cap, and embodies the spirit of the 2024 Paris Games.
Paris 2024 Design team
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Izzy, the mascot for the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, was designed by John Ryan. Izzy is neither an animal, humanoid nor object.
John Ryan, DESIGNefx
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Wenlock is an amalgamation of London icons, from the city's black cabs to the city's Olympic Stadium. His name comes from the town of Much Wenlock in Shropshire. Wenlock is the mascot for the 2012 Olympic Games in London, England.
Iris design agency
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Hodori is a tiger that is a significant animal in Korean pop culture and legends, symbolizing humor, bravery and nobility. He was the chosen mascot for the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, South Korea.
Kim Hyun
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Cobi, a humanized Pyrenees dog, is named after COOB'92, which is the abbreviation for the Barcelona 1992 Olympic Organizing Committee.
Javier Mariscal
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Phevos and Athena represented the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. Their names are alternate versions of the Greek gods Apollo, the god of light and music, and Athena, the goddess of wisdom and the protector of Athens.
Spiros Gogos, Paragraph Design
