The First Olympic Ladies of Brazilian Athletics: the pioneers of 1948

The Exhibition “THE FIRST OLYMPIC LADIES OF BRAZILIAN ATHLETICS 1948-1984” was the materialization of a bibliographic and iconographic research developed by the LEMBRAR laboratory, involving professors, students, graduates and scientific initiation scholarship holders from PPGECEI-ESPM, carried out in partnership with the Eleonora Mendonça Institute (IEM). The project involved content research, curation and exhibition design

The achievements of the first Brazilian women's athletics teams and the enormous challenges imposed on women were presented, told through the stories of athletes such as Aída dos Santos, the only member of the Brazilian women's delegation who went to the Tokyo Olympic Games, where she won 4th place in the high jump without having a uniform or even shoes suitable for the competition, or Melânia Luz, the first black Brazilian athlete to compete in an Olympic event, in 1948

Installed at the end of 2024 at the Centro Cultural Correios in Rio de Janeiro, the exhibition was visited by over 17,000 people over the 45 days it was open to the public. The careers of the first 16 Brazilian athletes to compete in Olympic athletics events and relevant information about each Olympic Games were presented. It covered 10 editions of the Games, from 1948 (the first female delegation) to 1984 (when the last feat was achieved: participation in the marathon)

Melânia Luz dos Santos was born in São Paulo in 1928. At the age of 20, she joined Brazil’s first women’s track and field team at the London Olympic Games. In the 200-meter heats, she placed fourth. In the 4x100 relay, she and her teammates—Benedicta Souza Oliveira, Elizabeth Clara Muller, and Lucila Pini—broke the South American record. Melânia Luz had an extensive history of medals and records, having won dozens of titles throughout her career

Benedicta Souza de Oliveira competed for Associação Desportiva Floresta in São Paulo and later for Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras, becoming the São Paulo state, Brazilian, and South American champion in the 100m and 4x100m events, setting South American records. At the 1948 Olympic Games, she competed in the 100-meter sprint and the 4x100-meter relay. She coached the Brazilian national team that won the South American Championship in 1965, as well as the women’s track and field team at the Pan American Games in 1971, 1975, and 1983, and at the Montreal Olympics in 1976

Elisabeth Clara Müller began practicing athletics at the age of 14 at Sport Club Germânia, now known as Clube Pinheiros. She set the first 200-meter record in Brazil at the 1st Brazilian Women’s Athletics Championship in 1940. 
A high jumper, sprinter, and shot putter, she won 24 national titles, earned 18 medals in international competitions, and set Brazilian records 23 times across various events. In London, 1948, she competed in the high jump, shot put, 100-meter sprint, and the 4x100-meter relay

Gertrudes Ida Morg was born in Nova Friburgo, Rio de Janeiro, in 1925. She began competing in the youth category for São Paulo F.C. and soon won the silver medal in the 200-meter race at the São Paulo State Championship in 1944. She was part of the 4x100-meter relay team that won the first edition of the Troféu Brasil de Atletismo in 1945. While at Clube Tietê, she broke the Brazilian long jump record. At the 1948 Olympic Games, she competed in the long jump and finished in 20th place. She was also a reserve for the 4x100-meter relay team

Lucila Batista Pini was born in the city of São Paulo in 1930. An athlete from Clube Pinheiros, the sprinter competed in national and international events, always performing at a high level. The youngest member of the Brazilian delegation at the 1948 London Olympic Games, at just 17 years old, Lucila Pini competed in the 200-meter sprint and the 4x100-meter relay, where she set the South American record in the event

Helena Cardoso de Menezes was born in Salvador, Bahia, in 1927. In 1947, she began her athletic career at Fluminense F.C., and the following year, she made history as the first Brazilian sprinter to compete in the Olympics. 
At the London Games, Helena Menezes raced in the 100-meter and 200-meter sprints. She represented Brazil again at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, competing in the 100-meter sprint and the long jump. A Brazilian and South American champion, she set continental and national records

Continue here: As primeiras damas olímpicas do atletismo brasileiro: 1948-1984