Women of
the Halls of Fame
Female Diver
Birthdate: December 31, 1924
Hometown: San Francisco,California
Year Inducted: 1969
Position: Diver
Victoria's parents were Gertrude Taylor, a prominent woman who relocated in the United States from England, andTeofilo Manato, who relocated in the United States from the Phillipines. Victoria had two sisters, including a non-identical twin sister and an older sister, Frances.
As a young girl, Victoria loved acrobatics and dreamt of being a professional ballet dancer. She began swimming at the age of nine, and throughout her middle and high school years participated in a number of sports, including badminton, basketball, cheerleading, modern dance, and softball.
Victoria's idol from the time she was a young girl was Helen Crlenkovich.
At the age of nineteen, Victoria won her first national championship. In the 1948 Olympics,she won the gold medal for both Springboard Diving and Platform Diving. She was the first woman to win the gold medal for both of these performances throughout one Olympic competition, at the young age of 23.
From 1946 until 1948, she wonthe national Tower Diving Championship.
Victoria married and lived happily with Lyle Draves, who was also her coach.