With the Paris 2024 Olympic Games just a year away, Team GB has announced an initiative for the nation’s youth. For the first time, the team is on a quest to find five Mini Mascots, children who will have the opportunity to stand side by side with Team GB as their official mascots.
The search for these mascots is not just a competition; it is an adventure. The selected children will experience the journey to the 2024 Olympics firsthand, from interacting with the athletes to sending them off to Paris in grand style.
The selection process begins now
and will run until October. Parents and guardians can nominate their child, provided they are between the ages of 5 and 11 and residing in the UK. After an initial screening process, the shortlisted candidates will be asked to express why they would love to be chosen as a Mini Mascot. The final five will be selected in November 2023, beginning their once-in-a-lifetime journey towards the Paris 2024 Games.
According to Team GB head of marketing, Carly Hodgson, this initiative aims to bring children closer to the excitement and inspiration of the Olympics. “Research has revealed just how much of a role our athletes play when it comes to inspiring the next generation of young people to embrace sport, and we believe this is a significant opportunity to engage children in all that Team GB and the Olympic Games can offer,” Hodgson said. “Our Mini Mascots will be a huge part of the team as we prepare for Paris 2024, and we can’t wait to discover who they will be.”
Adding her thoughts on the initiative, two-time Olympic champion and mother Helen Glover emphasised the importance of engaging children in sports, stating, “It’s brilliant that Team GB is searching for kids to be official Mini Mascots for the team. It’s the first time this has ever been done, and as a mum myself, I am excited to be a part of giving children all over the country this opportunity.”
This pioneering initiative coincides with recent YouGov research, which shows over half of Brits (59%) view Team GB athletes as positive role models and 52% believe that Team GB represents the nation as a whole. The admiration for Team GB goes beyond the Olympics; the team has been named the most loved national sports team and is considered a source of national pride, second only to the NHS.
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