The choice of the names Vinicius and Tom adds even more ‘Brazilianness’ to our mascots, which are ambassadors of the Games. Their role is to share the messages of the event and the values of the Olympic and Paralympic movements to various audiences, especially children and youth," said Beth Lula, Brand Director of Rio 2016.
THE CHARACTERS
The Olympic mascot represents all of the different animals in Brazil. It combines the agility of cats, the sway of monkeys and the grace of birds. He can stretch his arms and legs as much as he wants. This allows him to jump higher, run faster, and become stronger. He has a very acute sense of smell, with a nose for adventure, and amazing powers of hearing, which allows him to find the liveliest fans. He practises all Olympic sports; he is the hyper-connected type with friends all around the world.
The Paralympic mascot, in turn, is a unique mixture of the Brazilian flora. He is able to constantly transform, with determination and joy growing and overcoming obstacles. In addition to practising Paralympic sports, he is constantly on the move. He believes there is no obstacle too hard to overcome. He can pull anything from his big head of leaves to solve even the hairiest of problems. As the ambassador of the Paralympic Games, he will teach others to bring out their best.