https://www.london2012.com/mascots
The mascots for the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Games were unveiled on the BBC One Show last night.
Wenlock and Mandeville are not the usual kind of soft toy national representatives like Moscow's Misha the Bear, or Los Angeles' Sam the Eagle. They are representative of Britain's contribution to the modern olympics, designed and produced for the internet generation.
For the benefit of our American friends, the mascots names come from places in England that made a contribution to the formation and development of the modern olympics. It was in the village of Much Wenlock, England, that Baron Pierre de Coubertin first saw organised, competitive sports being played in the mid 1890's. This inspired him to revive the ancient Greek olympiads, and thus, the modern games began. Yes... they were revived by a Frenchman, but he gained his inpsiration in a small English village.
Mandeville is named after Stoke Mandeville hospital in England, a specialist hospital that treats severe physical disability and paraplegia. Stoke Mandeville hospital pioneered the concept of the Paralympics, which are now an integral part of the Olympic movement.
So, there you have it. Wenlock and Mandeville. What do you think..?
I think they are innovative, modern and relevant to the online age. Just another cuddly toy... a British bulldog, or a lion.... would have been "more of the same" and frankly, dull.
We might not be able to throw vast sums of money at the olympics in the way that Beijing did, but we can use our imagination, innovation and forward-looking to bring the Olympic Games into a new era.
More of this, please, Lord Coe...!!
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