Arab News Japan

TOKYO: The World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25 unveiled the official Championships mascot, Riku One, on Tuesday.

The World Athletics Championships will take place at the National Stadium in Tokyo from September 13 to 21.

Many towns, prefectures, companies, and institutions in Japan have a mascot and the World Athletics Championships have named theirs “Riku One.”

“Riku One” combines “riku,” the Japanese word for athletics, with the concept of “one,” which, according to the organizers, “symbolizes first place, a single second, a single step, a single throw, a single jump, and the all-for-one spirit of athletics. It also reflects the unity of the stadium and represents the sound of a dog’s bark, ‘wan’ (one) in Japanese.”

The name was chosen through a nationwide vote. Riku One secured 7,804 votes, followed by Sorashiba with 7,454 votes, and Pochichi with 3,048 votes. A total of 18,306 people voted for their favorite name between January 17 and February 11.

The “dynamic and spirited mascot” was inspired by Japan’s iconic Shiba Inu dog, a breed known, the organizers say, for its agility, resilience, and loyalty. 

Japan is the only country to host the World Athletics Championships three times.