The emblem of Los Angeles 1984

Credit: IOC / Olympic Museum Collections

The star is a universal symbol of the highest aspirations of mankind, the horizontal bars portray the speed with which the contestants pursue the excellence, while the repetition of the star shape connotes the spirit of competition between equally outstanding physical forms. The symbol colours - blue, white and red - were in part chosen for their traditional significance in the awarding of prizes for first, second and third place.

(Credit: IOC. Click here for further information.)