Dália da Cunha-Sammer

Dália da Cunha-Sammer and her older sister Natália Cunha e Silva were considered pioneers in Portuguese women’s gymnastics. Both had taken up the sport at a young age, but their careers did not fully develop until after World War II. They both represented Portugal at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, where Dália had a best individual finish of joint-86th in the horse vault. Dália also competed at the 1960 Rome Games, again having a best finish in the horse vault (91st), but her sister unfortunately did not attend, as she had been killed in a car accident at the age of 31 along with her family.

By 1960, Dália had married Joseph Sammer and, together, they worked as gymnastics teachers following Dália’s retirement from active competition. Dália was involved in numerous other sports and was the Portuguese national champion in the shot put in 1946 and 1947, in addition to setting a national record in 1948 which would last 12 years. She was also a cycling champion, a skater and a practitioner of acrobatic jumps. She was the most popular Portuguese sportswoman of her time, thanks to her unusual daring, which allowed her to bullfight on horseback, participate in the first Automobile Tour of Portugal, and take lessons in airplane piloting.