The Mascots for the 2012 London Olympics

The mascot(s) of any given international sporting event are important as a symbol of what the games stand for and as a mean to publicise the games in a creative and innovative manner. With a little over two years to go before the 2012 Summer Olympics gets underway in London, the official mascots of the games have been unveiled.

Meet one-eyed jacks Wenlock and Mandeville, the two mascots of the 2012 London Olympics. Wenlock is the official Olympics mascot whilst Mandeville is the official Paralympics mascot. At first glance, both mascots look good and have a distinctive artisitic value embedded in them. Here's a little more information on the mascots from the official 2012 Olympics webpage.

Wenlock

How did I get my name?

My name is inspired by Much Wenlock in Shropshire, a town that is at the heart of Olympic history. In the 19th century, Baron Pierre de Coubertin was invited there to watch the ‘Much Wenlock Games’ inspired by the Olympic Games of ancient Greece. De Coubertin was inspired by the Wenlock Games too, and went on to found the modern Olympic movement. The Much Wenlock Games are still held annually to this day!

My most distinctive features

Do you like the light on my head? It’s inspired by the lights on London’s iconic black taxis. The shape of the front of my head is based on the shape of the Olympic Stadium roof. My eye is a camera lens, capturing everything I see as I go..

If you’re wondering about the three points on my head – well, they represent the places on the podium where successful athletes stand to receive their medals. I can’t wait to meet some of Britain’s London 2012 hopefuls – and I really hope they will achieve their personal best at the Games and get to stand on the podium too.

Mandeville

How did I get my name?

My name is inspired by Stoke Mandeville in Buckinghamshire, the birthplace of the Paralympic Games. On the same day as the Opening Ceremony of the London 1948 Olympic Games, Sir Ludwig Guttmann held his own sport competition in Stoke Mandeville for World War II soldiers with spinal injuries. It was no coincidence – Sir Ludwig dreamed of a ‘parallel Olympics’ for athletes with disabilities. The Stoke Mandeville Games grew and grew until they became the Paralympic Games.

My most distinctive features

My eye is a camera lens, capturing everything I see as I go. On my head are three prongs – they represent the three parts of the Paralympic emblem. Like my tail and my hands they’re aerodynamic, which is really important as I’m a ‘spirit in motion’, always rushing around. I’m constantly trying to beat my personal best – the personal best timer on my wrist helps me keep track, as well as making sure I’m focused on London 2012.

I also love the light on my head – inspired by the lights found on London’s iconic black taxis! And it helps me see where I’m going, which is always useful.

Pictures