Legend the Bigfoot Agrees to Be 2022 Worlds Mascot – Might He or She Challenge Berlino for GOAT Status?

By Robert Johnson
May 17, 2022

We at LetsRun.com have always said the gold standard for mascots — the GOAT — is Berlino the Bear. He was such a fan and athlete favorite at the 2009 Worlds that Usain Bolt wore a t-shirt praising him and we may or may not have started a petition to make him the official mascot of all World Athletics Championships. Has any other mascot ever generated its own fan site? Berlino, who is now at least 13 years old, is still going strong as he was seen celebrating with Olympic 100 champ Marcell Jacobs earlier this year, but in sports, all legends are eventually challenged for their GOAT status. And it appears Berlino might have a worthy rival in Eugene this summer.

Jacobs celebrates his 60m win in Berlin earlier this year with our favorite mascot, Berlino

Today, the Eugene World Championship organizers announced that Legend the Bigfoot has agreed to serve as the official mascot of the World Athletics Championships Oregon22. The rarely-seen but much talked about creature was even briefly caught on film.

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“Legend has often wanted to interact with humans and be social, contrary to the common lore about the Bigfoot species,” said AJ Gaulton, Fan Experience Director of Oregon22. “But when would be the right time for Legend to emerge and who would accept them? Only something so special, so unmissable, so iconic, and so big as the first World Athletics Championships on U.S. soil could lure Legend into the public arena.”

On paper, Legend appears to be a worthy challenger to Berlino, but a mascot’s legacy normally comes down to intangibles — things like personality and charisma — and not measurable on paper. Eugene organizers claim Legend measures high on those attributes as they claim he or she is “fun, mischievous, playful, and larger-than-life.” We will find out soon enough.

Talk about Legend the Bigfoot on our world-famous fan forum messageboard: MB: Legend The Bigfoot agrees to be the official mascot of 2022 World Athletics Champs, should Berlino the Bear be worried?

Check out Berlino’s greatest hits from the 2009 Worlds in this video.

Previous mascot discussions:

*The Bear Mascot Rules
*A message from Berlino, mascot of the 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics berlin 2009
*This Just In, SHOCK — BERLINO UNEMPLOYED! Can You Help with new Job Suggestions ?
*Berlino The Bear

Legend the Bigfoot
Legend the Bigfoot

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