Lyo and Merly
Encyclopedia
Lyo and Merly were the official mascots of the 2010 Summer Youth Olympics
held in Singapore
. The duo is made up of a red male lion and a blue female Merlion
, and was officially introduced by Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan
on 21 November 2009 at Suntec City
in Singapore. A contest held to name the two mascots was won by two Singaporeans. It took designers from Cubix International about six months to complete designing the mascots.
in Grenoble
, France, saw the creation of the first ever Olympic mascot
, Schuss
, although the mascot was not technically official. The first official Olympics mascot was Waldi in the 1972 Summer Olympics
in Munich
, Germany. The mascots are typically an animal native to the area where the Games take place, or are based on humans and imaginary creatures. They often reflect the culture and history of the region, and many were also designed to embody the ideals of Olympism and the Paralympic movement. The introduction of a mascot or mascots is often one of the highlights in the lead-up to the Games, with much focus placed on them in contemporary Olympics. The 2010 Summer Youth Olympics has carried on the tradition of having mascots.
(SYOGOC). Amongst the seven, the proposal of Cubix International, a company specialising in branding, animation and character development, was eventually selected. Cubix initially sought to develop robot mascots, intending to showcase Singapore as a "technologically advanced country". However, research on Olympic mascots prompted them to move away from the robot theme and focus on animal mascots. The company stated it wanted to developed a pair of mascots "who had contrasting yet complementary personalities". Mascots and Puppets Specialists, led by creative director Frankie Malachi Yeo, was hired to transform the mascots from designs to actual models.
There were issues over the materials used to build the mascot suits. Eventually, foam was selected as the main material. The mascot suits are heavy, with Lyo's head weighing 8 kilograms (17.6 lb) and Merly's weighing 6 kilograms (13.2 lb). The heads are strapped on to a harness donned by the mascot wearer. An in-built fan in the suit and optional vests lined with cool packs keep the mascot wearer from overheating.
Parts of the mascot production process were captured in the documentary, 'Beyond Gold: The Journey to the first Youth Olympic Games', which was commissioned by the Singapore Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee (SYOGOC).
Lyo's name is the initials (L.Y.O.) of "Lion of the Youth Olympics
", while Merly's name is a combination of mer, which means the sea, and the letters L and Y which stand for liveliness and youthfulness. The two characters allude to the "Lion City" label of Singapore, and the Merlion, a national symbol of Singapore
, respectively. Dr. Balakrishnan has commented that the duo are "an interesting play on fire and water". He added that "there are aspects of [the mascots] we clearly can identify with as Singaporeans, but really what we hope is these mascots will be embraced by Singaporeans as well as the visitors who come".
Lyo's mane resembles the Flame of Passion of the Spirit of Youth, the emblem of the Games. It is also a reference to the Singapore 2010 bid tagline "Blazing the Trail". The pad on his paw is shaped like the island of Singapore
. Merly is vegetarian
due to "a deep respect for all living creatures", and her paw pad is shaped like a heart.
, also held in the month of August, and Lyo and Merly participated in pre-parade activities.
Lyo and Merly were also widely featured in Games memorabilia sold at the official Youth Olympic Games Superstore in front of Ngee Ann City
shopping centre on Orchard Road
, Singapore's main shopping street, and at competition venues. Male medal winners at the Games are presented with a Lyo plush toy during victory ceremonies, and female winners receive a Merly toy. Four postage stamps depicting the mascots in poses featuring the Games' Culture and Education Programme (CEP) and Olympic sports
were also launched by the SYOGOC and Singapore Post
. In addition, a limited-edition Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games Commemorative Pack, which depicted the journey taken by the country since it won the bid to host the Games, featured an exclusive MyStamp Sheet of the mascots in all 26 sport poses. Lyo and Merly also appeared on three coins released by the Monetary Authority of Singapore
to commemorate the Games. A mural of the duo made by artist Charlene Tenio was showcased at a party held at the official hotel partner, Fairmont Singapore, to commemorate the 150-day countdown to the Games.
2010 Summer Youth Olympics
The 2010 Summer Youth Olympics, officially known as the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games , were an international multi-sport event for youths that took place in the city-state of Singapore from 14 to 26 August 2010, in the XXIX Olympiad. They were the inaugural Summer Youth Olympics, a major...
held in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
. The duo is made up of a red male lion and a blue female Merlion
Merlion
The Merlion is a mythical creature with the head of a lion and the body of a fish, used as a mascot of Singapore. Its name combines "mer" meaning the sea and "lion". The fish body represents Singapore's origin as a fishing village when it was called Temasek, which means "sea town" in Javanese...
, and was officially introduced by Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan
Vivian Balakrishnan
Vivian Balakrishnan is a politician from Singapore. A member of the governing People's Action Party , he is currently the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources....
on 21 November 2009 at Suntec City
Suntec City
Suntec City is a major multi-use development located in Marina Centre, a subzone of the Downtown Core Planning Area in Singapore.- Design :Suntec City was designed by Tsao & McKown Architects with emphasis on Chinese geomancy . The five buildings and the convention center are arranged so that they...
in Singapore. A contest held to name the two mascots was won by two Singaporeans. It took designers from Cubix International about six months to complete designing the mascots.
Background
The 1968 Winter Olympics1968 Winter Olympics
The 1968 Winter Olympics, officially known as the X Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1968 in Grenoble, France and opened on 6 February. Thirty-seven countries participated...
in Grenoble
Grenoble
Grenoble is a city in southeastern France, at the foot of the French Alps where the river Drac joins the Isère. Located in the Rhône-Alpes region, Grenoble is the capital of the department of Isère...
, France, saw the creation of the first ever Olympic mascot
Mascot
The term mascot – defined as a term for any person, animal, or object thought to bring luck – colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name...
, Schuss
Schuss
In alpine skiing, a schuss or schussboom is a straight downhill run at high speed, contrasting with a slalom, mogul, or ski jumping.Schuss was also the unofficial mascot of the 1968 Winter Olympics in Grenoble, France, featuring a cartoon character wearing skis. Ever since then, every Olympic Games...
, although the mascot was not technically official. The first official Olympics mascot was Waldi in the 1972 Summer Olympics
1972 Summer Olympics
The 1972 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Munich, West Germany, from August 26 to September 11, 1972....
in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, Germany. The mascots are typically an animal native to the area where the Games take place, or are based on humans and imaginary creatures. They often reflect the culture and history of the region, and many were also designed to embody the ideals of Olympism and the Paralympic movement. The introduction of a mascot or mascots is often one of the highlights in the lead-up to the Games, with much focus placed on them in contemporary Olympics. The 2010 Summer Youth Olympics has carried on the tradition of having mascots.
Development
In early 2009, seven shortlisted mascot design proposals were submitted to the Singapore Youth Olympic Games Organising CommitteeSingapore Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee
The Singapore Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee is the organisation in charge of organising the inaugural 2010 Youth Olympic Games. A selection process to determine the members of the games' organising committee commenced soon after the bid result announcement...
(SYOGOC). Amongst the seven, the proposal of Cubix International, a company specialising in branding, animation and character development, was eventually selected. Cubix initially sought to develop robot mascots, intending to showcase Singapore as a "technologically advanced country". However, research on Olympic mascots prompted them to move away from the robot theme and focus on animal mascots. The company stated it wanted to developed a pair of mascots "who had contrasting yet complementary personalities". Mascots and Puppets Specialists, led by creative director Frankie Malachi Yeo, was hired to transform the mascots from designs to actual models.
There were issues over the materials used to build the mascot suits. Eventually, foam was selected as the main material. The mascot suits are heavy, with Lyo's head weighing 8 kilograms (17.6 lb) and Merly's weighing 6 kilograms (13.2 lb). The heads are strapped on to a harness donned by the mascot wearer. An in-built fan in the suit and optional vests lined with cool packs keep the mascot wearer from overheating.
Parts of the mascot production process were captured in the documentary, 'Beyond Gold: The Journey to the first Youth Olympic Games', which was commissioned by the Singapore Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee (SYOGOC).
Mascots
The mascots' designers created elaborate descriptions of Lyo and Merly, which are summarised below:| Name | Lyo | Merly |
|---|---|---|
| Colour | Red | Blue |
| Gender | Male | Female |
| Creature | Lion | Merlion Merlion The Merlion is a mythical creature with the head of a lion and the body of a fish, used as a mascot of Singapore. Its name combines "mer" meaning the sea and "lion". The fish body represents Singapore's origin as a fishing village when it was called Temasek, which means "sea town" in Javanese... |
| Astrological sign Astrological sign Astrological signs represent twelve equal segments or divisions of the zodiac. According to astrology, celestial phenomena reflect or govern human activity on the principle of "as above, so below", so that the twelve signs are held to represent twelve basic personality types or characteristic modes... |
Leo Leo (astrology) Leo is the fifth astrological sign of the Zodiac, originating from the constellation of Leo. In astrology, Leo is considered to be a "masculine", positive sign. It is also considered a fire sign and is one of four fixed signs ruled by the Sun.Individuals born when the Sun is in this sign are... |
Aquarius |
| Favourite foods | Chilli crab Chilli crab Chili crab is a seafood dish originating from Singapore. It was created in 1950 by Singapore chef, Cher Yam Tian with her husband, Lim Choon Ngee. The couple ran Palm Beach Seafood Restaurant on Upper East Coast Road Mud crabs are commonly used and are stir-fried in a semi-thick, sweet and... s and Hainanese chicken rice Hainanese chicken rice Hainanese chicken rice is a dish of Chinese origin most commonly associated with Hainanese and Singaporean cuisine, although it is also commonly sold in neighbouring Thailand and Malaysia... |
Ice kachang |
| Personal motto | "Never say never" | "You can achieve anything if you pour your heart into it!" |
| Olympic values | Excellence, Respect | Excellence, Friendship |
| Dream | "To win a gold medal in an international basketball championship" | "To become an environmental scientist Environmental science Environmental science is an interdisciplinary academic field that integrates physical and biological sciences, to the study of the environment, and the solution of environmental problems... " |
| Hobbies | Jamming the guitar, exploring and discovering new things and playing sports, especially basketball | Singing, swimming and returning seashells to the sea |
| Symbolism | Lion City; fire; "Blazing the Trail" (tagline of the Singapore 2010 bid Singapore 2010 Youth Olympics bid Singapore will host the inaugural 2010 Youth Olympic Games . According to the Singapore National Olympic Council , Singapore's concept fully embraces the Olympic values, with fully integrated Sports, Education and Culture programmes to engage and inspire young people... ) |
Merlion; water |
Lyo's name is the initials (L.Y.O.) of "Lion of the Youth Olympics
Youth Olympic Games
The Youth Olympic Games is an international multi-sport event first held in Singapore from August 14 to August 26, 2010. The games are held every four years in staggered summer and winter events consistent with the current Olympic Games format. The age limitation of the athletes is between 14 to 18...
", while Merly's name is a combination of mer, which means the sea, and the letters L and Y which stand for liveliness and youthfulness. The two characters allude to the "Lion City" label of Singapore, and the Merlion, a national symbol of Singapore
National symbols and emblems of Singapore
National symbols of Singapore are the symbols that are used in Singapore to represent what is unique about the nation, reflecting different aspects of its cultural life and history.- National flag :...
, respectively. Dr. Balakrishnan has commented that the duo are "an interesting play on fire and water". He added that "there are aspects of [the mascots] we clearly can identify with as Singaporeans, but really what we hope is these mascots will be embraced by Singaporeans as well as the visitors who come".
Lyo's mane resembles the Flame of Passion of the Spirit of Youth, the emblem of the Games. It is also a reference to the Singapore 2010 bid tagline "Blazing the Trail". The pad on his paw is shaped like the island of Singapore
Pulau Ujong
Pulau Ujong or Singapore Island is the main island of the island country of Singapore. It forms the majority of the island country in terms of area and population...
. Merly is vegetarian
Vegetarianism
Vegetarianism encompasses the practice of following plant-based diets , with or without the inclusion of dairy products or eggs, and with the exclusion of meat...
due to "a deep respect for all living creatures", and her paw pad is shaped like a heart.
Outreach
The two mascots appeared in various activities and programmes, including events in schools, launches and roadshows. The Olympic theme featured in Singapore's 2010 National Day ParadeNational Day Parade
The Singapore National Day Parade is a national ceremony in Singapore that, as its name implies, includes a parade on Singapore's National Day on August 9, in commemoration of Singapore's independence that is usually held at the Padang , the National Stadium, various decentalized venues all over...
, also held in the month of August, and Lyo and Merly participated in pre-parade activities.
Lyo and Merly were also widely featured in Games memorabilia sold at the official Youth Olympic Games Superstore in front of Ngee Ann City
Ngee Ann City
Ngee Ann City is a shopping and commercial centre located on Orchard Road, Singapore. The S$520 million building was officially opened on 21 September 1993 by then Prime Minister, Goh Chok Tong. Many Singaporeans refer to Ngee Ann City as "Taka", a slang-abbreviation of the anchor tenant's name,...
shopping centre on Orchard Road
Orchard Road
Orchard Road is a road in Singapore that is the retail and entertainment hub of the city-state. It is regularly frequented by the local population as well as being a major tourist attraction...
, Singapore's main shopping street, and at competition venues. Male medal winners at the Games are presented with a Lyo plush toy during victory ceremonies, and female winners receive a Merly toy. Four postage stamps depicting the mascots in poses featuring the Games' Culture and Education Programme (CEP) and Olympic sports
Olympic sports
Olympic sports, as defined by the International Olympic Committee, are all the sports contested in the Summer and Winter Olympic Games. The Summer Olympics, as of 2012, will include 26 sports, with two additionall sports due to be added in 2016...
were also launched by the SYOGOC and Singapore Post
Singapore Post
Singapore Post Limited or commonly known as is Singapore's designated Public Postal Licensee which provides domestic and international postal services. It also provides logistics services in the domestic market and global delivery services...
. In addition, a limited-edition Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games Commemorative Pack, which depicted the journey taken by the country since it won the bid to host the Games, featured an exclusive MyStamp Sheet of the mascots in all 26 sport poses. Lyo and Merly also appeared on three coins released by the Monetary Authority of Singapore
Monetary Authority of Singapore
The Monetary Authority of Singapore is Singapore's central bank and financial regulatory authority...
to commemorate the Games. A mural of the duo made by artist Charlene Tenio was showcased at a party held at the official hotel partner, Fairmont Singapore, to commemorate the 150-day countdown to the Games.
External links
- Mascots - Singapore 2010 official site
- Media Release - Introducing Lyo & Merly - Mascots for the 1st YOG - Singapore 2010 official site