2014-11-23

Born out of an explosion of Brazilian joy... the Rio 2016 mascots – magical creatures with super powers

Find out about the origins of the Olympic and Paralympic mascots, who were created from Brazil's diverse plant and animal life

It all began five years ago. On 2 October 2009, Jacques Rogge, the then President of the International Olympic Committee, opened an envelope and said the words “Rio de Janeiro”. And the Marvellous City exploded with joy. Rio had been selected to host the first Olympic and Paralympic Games in South America.

The outpouring of happiness was felt and absorbed by Brazil’s lush nature, and from this energy were born two magical creatures: the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games mascots. (Watch this video about their creation).

The Olympic Games mascot (below) is a mixture of different Brazilian animals, blessed with their many qualities: the agility of the cats, the sway of the monkeys, the grace of the birds. With his keen sense of smell, he can sniff out exciting adventures. His incredible hearing allows him to find the most enthusiastic fans. He can imitate the voice of any animal.