Mascot's head safely returned at World Championships

An evening of captivating finishes on the track on Monday was followed by shock when Legend the Bigfoot mascot’s head was reported stolen at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Ore. But Legend was back to his usual antics Tuesday evening, such as cooling off in the steeplechase water pit and dancing to entertain the fans.

Using CCTV and the help of social media, event organizers discovered footage of unidentified men laughing and joking as they played with Legend’s head. The investigation was then turned over to the police. Organizers stated: “We can confirm that an accredited photographer was removed from Hayward Field in connection to the investigation of a theft at the venue. This is now a police matter, and we won’t have further comments at this time.”

A committee chose the seven-foot-tall giant yellow Bigfoot to be the accredited mascot earlier in the year, in a nod to the Pacific Northwest centuries-old mythology surrounding Bigfoot. Legend has been a fan favourite since the beginning of the championships.

Thankfully, Legend reappeared on Tuesday. Organizing committee CEO Sarah Massey called Legend “an extension of the event itself,” and he has been described (and was created) to be “fun, mischievous, playful, and larger than life.” This recent mischief clearly went just a little too far for Legend, and fans will hope to enjoy his large furry high-fives for the rest of the Championships, head intact.

posted Saturday July 23rd
by Running Magazine