A mascot of the second Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) World Beach Games 2023, which will be held in Bali in August, is officially introduced to the public in Nusa Dua, Bali, on April 29. The multi-sport event will feature 14 sports, including beach volleyball and the 5-kilometer open water swimming. (NOC Indonesia/Tetuko Mediantoro)
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n the lead-up to the second run of the ANOC World Beach Games (AWBC) in Bali, organizers officially introduced the event’s two mascots, named Bli Suksma and Gek Suksma, in Nusa Dua, Bali, on Saturday.
The mascots resemble blacktip sharks, inspired by the species that live especially in the waters of Bali and Raja Ampat, West Papua.
Indonesian Olympic Committee (NOC Indonesia) chief Raja “Okto” Sapta Oktohari, who revealed the mascots, said the decision to use blacktip sharks represented Indonesia’s rich marine life and a reminder to protect and preserve the oceans for future generations.
“We are delighted to introduce Bli Suksma and Gek Suksma as the official mascots for the 2023 ANOC World Beach Games in Bali. Bli Suksma and Gek Suksma welcome all participants to Bali in August and represent the fun and joy of the Games,” Okto said in a statement.
“We are raising the awareness and promoting conservation of the species by using them as the mascots,” he added.
In regard to the mascots’ names, bli means brother and gek means sister in Balinese, while suksma means thank you.
Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) secretary-general Gunilla Lindberg said the mascots embody friendly nature and love for the ocean that has become the spirit of Bali in 2023.
“We are committed to ensuring that we have minimal impact on the environment and where possible even leave it in better condition than we found it. We hope that [the mascots'] presence will bring joy to the athletes and fans, and also generate better understanding about the role all of us can play in marine conservation.”
The Bali AWBC will be held from Aug. 5 to 12, featuring competitions in 14 sports, including the 5-kilometer open water swimming, beach volleyball, beach water polo and beach soccer.
ANOC is partnering with the Marine Biodiversity Foundation, a local coral conservation project in Bali, to leave a legacy in Nusa Dua Beach, one of the two clusters used for the Games. The partnership will last until 2026 and includes the planting and maintaining of a coral garden, with coral fragments being planted on behalf of each of the participating National Olympic Committees in Bali this year.