The dragon chosen as the mascot of European Games

The mascot competition for the European Games Kraków-Małopolska 2023 has been adjudicated. Out of almost 2,500 submitted works, the commission chose three which were put to the vote of internet users on Facebook. Both in the opinion of the fans and the jury, the winner was … the dragon “Krakusek”!

The dragon is the undisputed symbol of Krakow. The legend of the beast that inhabited the cave under the castle on the Wawel Hill was passed from mouth to mouth in the Middle Ages. For centuries, shrouded in mystery, the reptile aroused the fear of the youngest, but nowadays it has started to take a more pleasant image. Just like in the mascot competition for the European Games Kraków Małopolska 2023.

In the Internet voting, the tight battle between the three final projects was long: the dragon “Krakusek”, the salamander “Sandra” and the lynx “Ryszard”. The first two went head to head for a long time, but the dragon turned out to be better in the finish. 

Internet users’ voting accounted for 20% of final evaluation, but the jury had no doubts that the choice of fans was right.

– At major sporting events, the mascot is always an important element. On the one hand, it refers to the local culture and symbols, on the other, it allows the fans to participate more closely. It is a showcase of the event and remains in the memory of both athletes and fans for a long time. Therefore, it is difficult to imagine that Kraków and Małopolska could be better illustrated by a project other than the dragon – said Marcin Nowak, president of the European Games 2023 Committee.

The author of the project is 15-year-old Katarzyna Biśta from Libiąż, who will be invited with her family to the VIP stand during the opening and closing ceremonies of the European Games. He will also receive a personalized mascot and a set of official IE2023 gadgets.

Kasia’s design will now be redrawn by graphic designers, so that the right mascot can be created on its basis. The large one that will welcome athletes at airports and arenas, and the smaller one that fans will take home as a souvenir of the European Games Kraków Małopolska 2023.