The Matchless Six : Highlighting Canadian Women Track Athletes at the 1928 Olympic Games

Abstract

This film is the story of the Canadian women's Olympic track and field team in 1928, comprised of Bobbie Rosenfeld, Myrtle Cook, Ethel Smith, Jane Bell, Ethel Catherwood and Jean Thompson. They were called 'the Matchless Six' after successfully competing in the 1928 Olympic Games in Amsterdam, the first Games that allowed women to compete in track and field events. The Canadian Matchless Six successfully earned 2 gold, 2 silver and 1 bronze medal, propelling Canada to finish 4th place overall in the medal standings, its best showing to that point. This film is an engaging portrayal of women's participation in elite-level sporting competition in events for which women's participation was not uniformly accepted.