(5/15/99)
The suspense is over.
Saturday night, Olympics organizers revealed one of the best-kept secrets of the games, on a stage at the Triad Center.
The cat's out of the bag...or should we say the hare, the coyote and the bear.
The story of the Olympic mascots comes from a Utah Native American legend.
Petroglyphs of animal images inspired the mascots that reflect the Olympic motto...CITIUS, ALTIUS, FORTIUS.
The hare was swifter, the coyote climbed higher and the bear was stronger.
The Salt Lake Organizing Committee had Native Americans and petroglyph experts review the authenticity of the concept.
The mascots honor the cultures which first lived in Utah.
Each mascot wears a charm around its neck fashioned after the original Anasazi or Fremont-style petroglyph.
SLOC will lauch a program to name the mascots in Utah schools on Monday.
Saturday night, Olympic Organizers and spectators celebrated the Olympic trio.
The unveiling also signaled the sales launch for mascot merchandise.
You can pick up stuffed mascots, mascots on mugs, tee-shirts, and more.
