The two mascots are blacktip sharks which are considered harmless creatures and are deeply respected by the Balinese people.

Suksma is a term of gratitude in Balinese with Bli and Gek intended to represent the spirit of hospitality of the hosts.

The mascots are named after the nicknames commonly used in Balinese to refer to brothers - Bli - and sisters - Gek.

They were unveiled by Indonesian Olympic Committee President Raja Sapta Oktohari during the Chef de Mission seminar in Bali in front of more than 100 National Olympic Committees (NOC) attending in-person and online.

"We are delighted to introduce Bli Suksma and Gek Suksma as the official mascots for the ANOC World Beach Games Bali 2023," said Oktohari.

"Bli Suksma and Gek Suksma will welcome all participants to Bali in August and represent the fun and joy of the Games.

"The mascots represent the blacktip sharks, a species of the shark that is found in the oceans of Indonesia, like Bali and Raja Ampat.

"They are an iconic species that represent the rich marine life of Indonesia and serve as a reminder of the need to protect and preserve our oceans for future generations.

"By using the blacktip sharks as the mascot, we will also raise awareness and promote the conservation efforts for this species."

The first ANOC World Beach Games, in Doha four years ago, also had an aquatics-themed mascot with  Dolphy, the "fun-loving dolphin".

ANOC is partnering with Marine Biodiversity Foundation - a local coral conservation project in Bali with the aim of leaving a lasting legacy in the Nusa Dua Beach, one of the two clusters of the Games.

The partnership is set to last until 2026 and includes the planting and maintenance of a coral garden, with coral fragments due to be planted on behalf of each of the participating NOCs at Bali 2023.

"We are very happy to welcome Bli Suksma and Gek Suksma as our Games mascots,” said ANOC secretary general Gunilla Lindberg.

"Their friendly nature and love for the ocean embody the spirit of Bali 2023.

"We are committed to ensuring that we have a minimal impact on the environment and where possible even leave it in better condition than we found it.

"We hope that their presence will bring joy to the athletes and fans but also generate better understanding about the role all of us can play in marine conservation."

Bali is set to stage the ANOC World Beach Games from August 5 to 12, followed by the ANOC General Assembly from August 13 to 15.