2016 IPC European Open Mascot Named…..The mascot for the 2016 IPC Swimming European Open Championships has now been adorned with his selected name. “Funcho” was the name receiving 51% of the public vote and therefore, being bestowed upon the meet’s rare monk seal mascot. Funcho is a plant local to the island to Madeira, in Funchal, Portugal where the competition will take place. Funcho is frequently used to make tea, lollipops, sweets and cakes. The mascot aims to give visitors to the competition a feel for the unique nature of the island which has many attractions. The event will take place at the state-of-the-art Complexo Olimpico de Piscinas da Penteada.
Hamburg Creates Largest Human Olympic Rings…..Residents of Hamburg, Germany, one of 5 cities up for the 2024 Olympic bid, gathered together ahead of a November 29th public vote on the bid in order to create the giant Olympic rings. 6,211 people formed the giant rings, rendering it declared as “the largest human image of the Olympic rings”, according to the Guinness World Records. The previous record was that of 3,206 people in Great Britain who created the rings prior to the 2012 Games.
Japan Rio, Tokyo Olympic Gold Medal Targets Revealed…..Recently appointed Head of the Japan Sports Agency, swimmer Daichi Suzuki has revealed his country’s minimum medal target for the 2020 Olympic Games to be held in Tokyo. The national hope is for athletes from Japan to earn at least 20 gold medals at the 2020 Games, rendering the host country a 3rd-place finish in the overall medal total. In London 2012, Japan captured 7 gold medals – 4 from wrestling and one each in boxing, judo and gymnastics. The nearer-term goal is 10 gold medals in 2016’s Rio de Janeiro Games. The best the country has ever come away with his 16 golds at their last home-based Games, 1964 Tokyo. They achieved that same count again in Athens in 2004. To help athletes in their quest for this target, the agency is set to provide funding for training, as well as monitor sports-related policies in order to speed up Japan’s preparations for the Games.