When Victoria Manalo Draves began diving, there was a part of her that knew she was slated for success, she told the San Francisco Chronicle in 2002. After all, her first name, Victoria, sounds an awful lot like victory, and her maiden name, Manalo, translates to winner in Filipino.
Olympic Diver Wins Double Gold Diving Medals at 1948 Olympic Games
In 1948, Draves became the first diving woman to win two gold medals in the same Olympics. Draves' gold medals came in the 3m springboard diving event and in the 10m platform diving event. Born to a Filipino mother and an English father, Draves also was the first Asian American to win a gold medal at the Olympic Games.
A native of San Francisco, Draves died of pancreatic cancer on April 11, 2010 in Palm Springs, Calif. She was 85 years old.
Springboard Diving, Platform Diving Champion
Draves and her twin were born Dec. 31, 1924. The family lived in San Francisco and did not have a lot of money during Draves' youth.
“Her early childhood, they were poor. She came from a poor family,” her husband and diving coach, Lyle Draves, told the Desert Sun.
Draves began diving when she was about 16. It did not take her long to experience success, and by the time she was 23, she had earned two Olympic gold medals, three U.S. platform diving championship titles and one indoor springboard diving national title.
Champion Diver Turns Pro
Draves decided to turn professional after the 1948 Olympic Games, and she spent time traveling around the world, performing in aquatic shows with people such as Buster Crabbe and Larry Crosbe.
Eventually, Draves and her coach, Lyle, settled down and began their family. The couple had married in 1946 and ultimately had four children. Although Draves' children never compete at the Olympic level, each of them spent time performing at trick diving shows.
During her career, Draves' was recognized as one of the two top athletes of the 1948 Olympic Games by LIFE magazine, earning her a spread in the magazine. Bob Mathias was the other top athlete of the Games.
Before her death in 2010, Draves was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1969. She also had a 2-acre park named after her in San Francisco.
References:
Chapin, Dwight. Vicki Draves: Pioneer Olympian made quite a splash. San Francisco Chronicle. March 3, 2002.
Smith, Terria. Olympic diver Victoria Draves dies. Palm Springs Desert Sun. April 23, 2010.
Kristen Nichols - Kristen is a freelance reporter and copywriter covering Olympic and Paralympic sport for Suite101.com. Kristen's love of sport developed ...
