This is the life-sized costume of Merly, one of the mascots for the Singapore 2012 Youth Olympic Games. Merly, which is a combination of “Mer” (meaning the sea), and the letters “L” and “Y” (liveliness and youthfulness), is a merlion that embodies the values of excellence and respect. The first Youth Olympic Games was held in Singapore from 14 to 26 August 2010. A total of 3,531 athletes between the ages of 14 and 18 from 204 countries participated in the first global event of its kind.
