Each Beijing Olympic medalist, along with their achievement are also presented with, Bing Dwen Dwen the Panda, China’s Olympic mascot, is that COVID safe? The Panda of course is synonymous with China, and a national symbol, so it is only natural it be incorporated into the games this way. As reported by the AP:
After competition, the winning athletes receive a toy panda, inside a plastic shell that is meant to represent ice
BEIJING (AP) — When most champions get off the slopes or the ice at the Beijing Olympics, they are handed Bing Dwen Dwen, the chubby panda mascot of the Games.
Where are the medals? They come later at a special ceremony where the day’s winners gather.
But immediately after competition, the winning athletes receive a plush toy panda, stuffed inside a plastic shell that is meant to represent ice. Bing, in fact, means ice in Chinese. The toy is also adorned with a golden wreath.
A similar ritual unfolded at the Pyeongchang Games four years ago. There, immediately after winning gold, silver or bronze, medalists got Soohorang, a striped, white tiger that served as the mascot of those Games.
Source AP
