Mascots at most major sporting events are omnipresent. From being a goodwill ambassador for the spectacle to being an advertising and marketing tool, they are perhaps the most adored objects that we come across in the arenas or the Games Village. Glasgow promises to be no different to this protocol. Thistle man ‘Clyde’, named after the River Clyde, will be the official mascot for the 2014 Commonwealth Games to be held in the city.
It was designed by 12-year old Beth Gilmour, who won in a competition by the organisers, held for children to come up with a suitable character for the games. In a statement given to the media, the Organizing Committee Chairman of Glasgow 2014 said, that the mascot’s design was chosen, because of its “Scottish symbolism and Glaswegian charm and likeability.”
It’s interesting to note that the Digital agency NERV, turned Beth’s design into a commercial character, drafted a background story and gave it the name, Clyde. It was later unveiled in a seven-minute animated film, at a ceremony at BBC Scotland’s headquarters in Glasgow, in 2012.
This is however, not the first instance of the Commonwealth Games, or the British Empire Games, as it was known in the past to have a mascot of its own. The tradition was initiated in 1978, when organizers at Edmonton came up with ‘Keyano-the Grizzly Bear’, which has continued till date.
Below mentioned are the mascots from different editions of Commonwealth Games:
1978 Edmonton Commonwealth Games – Keyano, the Grizzly Bear: As aforementioned, the mascot for the 1978 Commonwealth Games was Keyano. The mascot represented the Gizzly Bear of the Swan Hills, which is a native to Alberta, Canada, and is found only in the Swan Hills, a mountain region of North Alberta. The word ‘Keyano’ meant ‘unity and brotherhood’, and thus appropriately described the ‘Friendly Games.’
1982 Brisbane Commonwealth Games – Matilda, the Kangaroo.
1986 Edinburgh Commonwealth Games – Mac, the Dog: Mac, the Scottish Terrier was bred in the highlands of Scotland. Oblivious to the rest of the world till late 1870s, these species were bred to hunt vermin that eat grain, eggs and poultry, and were hugely popular during the games.
1990 Auckland Commonwealth Games – Goldie, the Kiwi bird: The Kiwi bird had for long been the mascot for both the host nations Olympic and Commonwealth Games teams. Thus, the mascot of the games was expected to be a rendition of the same
1994 Victoria Commonwealth Games – Klee Wych, the Whale: Klee Wych, the Killer Whale, was inspired by the intelligent and graceful animals native to Canadian waters, usually associated with the exquisiteness and vitality of British Columbia, Canada. It also symbolises fun, festivities and the host city’s popular culture.
1998 Kuala Lumpur Commonwealth Games – Wira, the Orangutan:‘Wira’ means warrior in Habasa Malaysia. One of the world’s largest primates, it is found in the Malaysian states of Sarawak and Sabah.
2002 Manchester Commonwealth Games – Kit, the Lion-Cat hybrid.
2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games – Karak, a south-eastern Red-tailed Black Cockatoo : Named Karak after its distinctive voice, this native Australian species was selected because it embodied the all-welcoming spirit. Like most of its predecessors, the beautifully designed Karak connected beautifully with the masses and proved to be massively popular before and during the games.
2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games – Shera, the Tiger: The latest and perhaps the most vividly talked about mascot of the Commonwealth Games was from the latest edition. Depicting the national animal of India, Shera, the Royal Bengal Tiger embodied Indian values of courage, power and grace and was extensively used by the organizers in the promotions, leading up to the games.
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Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, Scotland, UK