Vicki Draves: Google Doodle celebrates first Asian American woman to win Olympic medal
Image shows Olympian with two gold medals around neck
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Google is celebrating Vicki Draves with a cartoon of the first Asian-American woman to win a medal at the Olympics.
The Doodle commemorates the diver on the same day she made history at the London Summer Olympics more than 50 years ago.
One of the images shows Draves diving into a pool, while another shows her beaming with two gold medals around her neck.
The Filipino-American diver became the first Asian-American woman to win an Olympic medal after she came first in the women’s three-metre springboard event on 3 August 1948.
She went on to win another gold in another event at the same competition.
Draves, who was born in San Francisco in 1924, started swimming lessons aged 10, and took up diving as a teenager at the encouragement of a coach, according to the Olympics website.
She went on the win three national titles before heading to the Olympics, where she also became the first female diver to come top in both the three- and 10-metre springboard.
Draves, who married her coach and had four children, turned professional after the Olympics.
She entered the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1969.
Draves died aged 85 in 2010.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments