Olympic Mascots

Olympic Games mascots are selected by the local organizing committee of the host city. The first official Olympic mascot dates back to the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich with Waldi the dachshund, a popular Bavarian dog.

In the United States, previous mascots have included Roni the raccoon at the 1980 Lake Placid Games, Sam the eagle at the 1984 Los Angeles Games, and Izzy the animated character at the 1996 Atlanta Games. The 2002 Salt Lake Winter Games mascots were Powder, the snowshoe hare; Copper, the coyote; and Coal, the American black bear.

In 1994, the Lillehammer Organizing Committee was the first organization to base their mascots on historical human figures naming Hakon and Kristine after royal children from the 13th century. Nagano featured four Îsnowlets' based on the motif of an owl. Most recently, Sydney's mascots were: Millie, the spiny anteater; Syd, the duck-billed platypus; and Olly, the kookaburra bird.

The Olympic Hymn

The Olympic Hymn is played at the Olympics when the Olympic Flag is raised. The music from the hymn was composed by Spirou Samara, and the words were added by Costic of Greece in 1896.

The Hym is below:

Ancient Immortal Spirit, chaste Father
Of all that is Beauty, Grandeur and Truth
Descending appear with Thy presence
Illuminate Thine Earth and the Heavens.

Shine upon noble endeavors wrought
at the Games on Track and in the Field.
Crown with thy eternal evergreen branch
The bodies, making them stronger and worthy.

Dale, Mount and Ocean, with Thy Light,
Is a white a purple temple, brighten!
To thine Temple, to Thy Worship, come all.
Oh! Ancient Eternal Spirit!

Olympic Games Torch & Flame

One of the most enduring symbols of the Olympic Games is the Olympic flame. The flame made its first appearance at the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games and since then the lighting of the flame has become a major focal point of every Opening Ceremonies.

The concept of lighting a flame for the duration of the Games comes from the ancient Greeks, who used a flame lit by the sun's rays at Olympia - the site of the original Olympic Games.

Olympic Medals

The medals - gold, silver, and bronze - represent the highest levels of athletic achievement at the Games.

The design of the medal varies with each Olympic Games and they are the responsibility of the host city's organizing committee. Olympic medals must be at least 60 millimeters in diameter and at least three millimeters thick. Gold and silver medals must be made of 92.5 percent pure silver; the gold medal must be gilded with at least six grams of gold.

Olympic oath

The Olympic oath is a symbolic gesture of sportsmanship that traces its origins to the 1920 Olympic Games. One athlete from the host country takes the oath at Opening Ceremonies on behalf of all the athletes.

Oath: "In the name of all competitors, I promise that we shall take part in these Olympic Games, respecting and abiding by the rules which govern them, in the true spirit of sportsmanship, for the glory of sport and the honor of our teams."

The Olympic motto

The Olympic motto "Citius, Altius, Fortius" is Latin for "Faster, Higher, Braver," but is universally accepted to mean "Swifter, Higher, Stronger."

Olympic creed

"The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well."

-The words of the Olympic creed are attributed to Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympic Games