LOOK: Carlos Yulo, other Olympic medalists to receive mascot plushies
Carlos Yulo and all the other athletes who win at the 2024 Paris Olympics will not only receive medals, but a cute medalist mascot and a poster, too!
Continuing the tradition of host countries giving gifts to the victors, Paris collaborated with Doudou & Compagnie Group, the same group behind the famous Olympic mascot, Phryges, to design a medalist version of the mascot.
If you haven't seen it yet, the committee shared images of the stuffed toys the winning athletes of the Olympics and Paralympics 2024 are to receive.
"This pretty blue, white, and red Phrygian cap is part of the Phryges tribe. He came to help the French make their revolution through sport," it wrote.
They are wearing their gold, silver, and bronze medals attached to their bellies and sneakers with the word "Bravo" spelled out on their backs.
The plushies are made from 100% recycled plastic bottles.
What are Phryges?
The Phryges are the official mascots of the 2024 Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games. The design was inspired by a Phrygian cap, which is a symbol of French liberation.
“We chose an ideal rather than an animal,” Tony Estanguet, president of Olympic Games Paris 2024 and former Olympic athlete, said when the Olympics mascots were revealed in 2022.
“We chose the Phrygian cap because it’s a very strong symbol for the French Republic. For French people, it’s a very well-known object that is a symbol of freedom, an object that will represent mascots all across the world. The fact that the Paralympics mascot has a visible disability also sends a strong message: to promote inclusion,” he continued.
The medallist mascots will be presented after the Olympic Games ceremony in the Village, and during the victory ceremony at the Paralympic Games.
Aside from that, athletes will be given the Iconic Posters created by illustrator Ugo Gattoni. The artwork pays "homage to the beauty of Parisian nights."
"I love the idea of showing the world the energy that shines from Paris by night; it is completely different from that of Paris by day. This variation of the Iconic Posters is an ode to celebration, to freedom, and togetherness," said Joachim Roncin, Director of Design at Paris 2024.
But that's not all, fans can also get their hands on the plushie and poster for €12 (P757) and €29 (P1,828), respectively, which are available on the Olympics website. (with reports from MJ Lopez)
