Wanda dos Santos

Wanda dos Santos took up track and field athletics in 1943 and captured her first major international medals with silver in the 80 metres hurdles and the long jump at the 1947 South American Championships. She won both events at the 1949 edition and then earned bronze in the long jump at the 1951 Pan American Games, where she was also fourth in the hurdles. She had a podium finish at the next three editions in the hurdles: silver in 1959, and bronze in 1955 and 1963. At the South American Championships, she won the hurdles in 1952, 1954, 1956, 1958, 1960, and the unofficial 1953 edition. She also won the long jump in 1961 and the 4x100 metres relay in 1958, came second in the long jump in 1958, and was third in the 4x100 metres relay in 1956, and the long jump in 1952 and 1954. During that time she represented Brazil at two editions of the Olympics, beginning in 1952 when she was 21st in the long jump and eliminated in the semi-finals of the hurdles. In 1960 she competed only in the hurdles, but was eliminated in the first round.

Domestically, dos Santos won 48 Brazilian titles over her career: 27 in the hurdles, 12 in the long jump, seven in the 4x100 metres relay, and two in the high jump. She also competed at the masters’ level into her 90s, despite having to recover from a stroke in her mid-80s. By career she was a physical education teacher at the elementary school level.

Personal Bests: 80H – 11.50 (1963); LJ – 5.61 (1950).