RIO DE JANEIRO - Vinicius will be the name of the Rio Olympic Games mascot after a three-week Internet vote and the Paralympic Games mascot will be called Tom.
The mascots for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games (L) called Vinicius and the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, called Tom, pose for photographers at Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on December 4, 2014
The names are in honor of two greats of Brazilian music, Vinicius de Moraes and Tom Jobim, organizers said Sunday, after 323,327 public votes were cast to name the duo.
Vinicius, mascot of the Olympic Games, is a yellow feline animal representing Brazil's rich fauna and wildlife.
The Paralympic Games mascot is a predominantly blue and green figure whose head is covered with leaves, depicting the host country's rich vegetation.
The first Olympics to be held in South America take place August 5-21, 2016.