It all began at the Moscow 1973 Universiade, and the presentation of Sineglazka, a monochrome image of a running girl whose name means ‘Blue-eyed’ in Russian. Since Sineglazka, there have been mascots for each Universiade and FISU Games Summer – 26 in total. Most recently, an animated giant panda named ‘Rongbao’ brought the Chengdu 2021 FISU Games to life, while Napoli in 2019 had a mermaid named Partenope and Taipei in 2017 was graced by Bravo the Bear.
For the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games, the Organising Committee craved a mascot which could encapsulate the region, symbolise the nature of our event, and speak to the people who will make it all happen. It was an exhaustive (not exhausting!) process, but a surprisingly simple decision.
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It might not be the biggest bird in the world, but this little beauty really packs a punch.
The peregrine falcon is the fastest animal on the planet, hitting speeds of over 300 kilometres per hour during its hunting dives. It is also the most widespread of all bird species, building nests in both natural and urban settings on every continent except Antarctica. In western Germany, from its origins among the rock formations of the low mountain ranges of North Rhine-Westphalia, this beautiful bird has found a home within the post-industrial landscapes along the Rhine River and Ruhr Valley.
Cosmopolitan, universal, adaptable – and a record-breaker. There can be no better fit for the mascot of the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games.
The animal was chosen and the design finalised: all the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games mascot needed now was a name.
So where to begin? With a brainstorming session, of course. The Organising Committee created a list of 50 potential names, from which a shortlist of four was put to a public vote on Instagram. The winner - by some margin! – was ‘Wanda’.
Derived from ‘Wanderfalke’, the German word for ‘peregrine falcon’, the name takes on an additional meaning since it is pronounced in almost the same way as ‘wander’. And this perfectly describes our shared journey. A great adventure with a known start but an undetermined end, building towards one of the world’s greatest sporting events: the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games.
Step into the official merchandise shop and explore a diverse range of branded products. Find your favorite exclusive items inspired by Wanda!
