Born: 1924 (San Francisco, California)
Biography:
Victoria “Vicki” Manalo Draves, born Victoria Manalo on December 31, 1924, was a Filipino American competitive diver who won gold medals in both platform and springboard diving at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London. She became the first woman in history to be awarded gold medals for both the ten-meter platform and the three-meter springboard. Not only was Draves the first American woman to achieve this feat in diving, but she was also the first Asian American to win Olympic gold medals.
Victoria Manalo was born and raised in the South-of-Market district of San Francisco. Her parents, Teofilo Manalo, a Philippine chef and musician, and Gertrude Taylor, an English maid, met and married in San Francisco. The family consisted of Victoria, her twin sister Connie, her older sister Frankie, and a younger brother named Sonny, who unfortunately passed away in childhood.
Growing up, the Manalo family faced financial challenges, making it difficult for Victoria to afford swimming lessons. It wasn’t until she turned 10 years old that she had the opportunity to take summer swimming lessons from the Red Cross, paying only five cents for admission to a pool in the Mission District. Despite the financial difficulties, Victoria participated in various sports activities during high school, including badminton, basketball, and softball. In 1942, she graduated from Commerce High School on Van Ness Avenue and took up a temporary civil service job in the Army Port Surgeon’s office to help support her family.
At the age of 16, Victoria was introduced to diving by Jack Lavery. Lavery then introduced her to Phil Patterson, the swimming coach of the Fairmont Hotel Swimming and Diving Club. Due to racial discrimination and prejudice against Filipinos, Victoria changed her name to Vicki Taylor in order to be accepted into Patterson’s school. However, her diving training was interrupted when Patterson had to serve in World War II. During that time, Victoria found employment at the Presidio military base.
Once Patterson returned, Victoria joined the swimming program at the Crystal Plunge in North Beach under the guidance of Charlie Sava. Jimmy Hughes was assigned as her coach, and she continued practicing her dives after school, even while attending San Francisco Junior College. At the age of 19, under Hughes’ guidance, Victoria achieved a remarkable third-place finish in her first national AAU diving competition at the Indiana national meet in 1943.
In 1944, at the national AAU championships, Victoria was befriended by Sammy Lee, the men’s 1942 platform champion. Lee introduced her to Lyle Draves, his coaching friend who ran the swimming and diving program at the prestigious Athens Athletic Club in Oakland. Victoria began training under Lyle Draves and added platform diving to her repertoire. Unfortunately, Lyle Draves left the San Francisco Bay Area for Los Angeles due to the racism within the Fairmont Hotel Swimming and Diving Club.
Undeterred by the circumstances, Victoria continued to commute to Los Angeles to train with Lyle Draves. Her hard work and determination paid off when she qualified for the 1948 Summer Olympics in London. There, she made history by winning gold medals in both platform and springboard diving events.
Victoria Manalo Draves’ achievements were groundbreaking and paved the way for future generations of female divers. Her success challenged gender and racial barriers, inspiring others to pursue their dreams and break down societal barriers. She will always be remembered as a trailblazer in the world of sports and women’s history.
Awards:
– Gold Medal, Women’s 10-meter platform diving, 1948 Summer Olympics
– Gold Medal, Women’s 3-meter springboard diving, 1948 Summer Olympics