Running History  ›  The Olympic Sheild

Shield of Athletes/The Olympic Shield [between 1928 and 1932], by R. Tait McKenzie

This bronze medallion by Canadian sculptor R. Tait McKenzie (1867-1938) contains figures representing every athletic event at the Olympics in 1932. The original five-foot diameter medallion in plaster won an art competition at the Los Angeles Olympic Games and was officially adopted as the “Olympic Shield” at the Tokyo Olympic Games in 1964.

One of Canada’s best known artists of his time, McKenzie was also acclaimed internationally in the fields of medicine and physical education and had been an all-around athlete at the Canadian intercollegiate level.