Birmingham 2022: Meet Perry the mascot

Perry has been revealed as the official mascot of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, becoming the first at any multi-sport event to be brought to life through augmented reality.

Perry is a friendly, kind and cheeky bull, an animal with which Birmingham has been synonymous for centuries. The city has had a market area known as the Bull Ring since the 16th century; the site is close to the current Bullring shopping centre, with an iconic bronze bull statue at its entrance.  

Its rainbow-coloured hexagons represent the coming together of the Commonwealth in equal partnership with the diverse communities of Birmingham and the West Midlands at the Games in 2022. 

The mascot has been named after Perry Barr area, the home of the Alexander Stadium, which will host the Games’ athletics events, and Opening and Closing Ceremonies.

Perry is wearing a medal, which references Birmingham’s iconic Jewellery Quarter, the UK’s centre for jewellery and precious metals for more than two hundred years. Its sports kit includes blue, red and yellow stripes, a nod to the colours of the official flag of Birmingham, and the city’s motto, Forward. 

Perry is inspired by the design of 10-year-old Emma Lou from Bolton, the winner of a national design competition that took place over the summer of 2020. The competition tasked children aged 5-15 with creating a mascot that reflects the identity, heritage and culture of Birmingham and the West Midlands. 

Chief Executive of Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games Ian Reid, said: 

“Perry is everything I hoped our mascot would be and more: bright, colourful, energetic and totally representative of modern Birmingham and the West Midlands. Perry celebrates diversity, community, and our region’s heritage as well as its future. 

“From today, Perry becomes a powerful icon for Birmingham 2022 all over the world, and you’ll be seeing a lot more of him during the countdown to the Games. He is a symbol of the coming together of the Commonwealth in Birmingham, and I am sure young and old will love him as much as I do!” 

Birmingham 2022 is set to have the largest integrated Para sport programme in history with eight sports: Para athletics, Para cycling, Para powerlifting, Para swimming, Para table tennis, Para triathlon, and wheelchair basketball 3x3, alongside Para lawn bowls.