Victoria Cook

{{Short description|American archer (1933–2019)}}

{{MedalTableTop}}

{{MedalSport | Women's Archery}}

{{MedalCountry | {{USA}} }}

{{MedalCompetition|World Championships}}

{{MedalGold| 1961 Oslo | Team}}

{{MedalGold| 1963 Helsinki | Individual}}

{{MedalGold| 1963 Helsinki | Team}}

{{MedalSilver| 1967 Amersfoort | Team}}

{{MedalBronze| 1971 York | Team}}

{{MedalBottom}}

Victoria Cook (born 1933, died April 18, 2019, from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States) was a World Champion archer who represented the United States.{{cite web |last1=Maitre Wicki |first1=Ludivine |title=Remembering 1963 World Archery Champion Victoria Cook |url=https://worldarchery.org/news/168196/remembering-1963-world-archery-champion-victoria-cook |website=World Archery |publisher=World Archery Federation |access-date=August 28, 2019 |date=May 16, 2019}}

Cook took up archery in 1959 following an illness, and the subsequent doctor's recommendation of fresh air. Within three months she won the Minnesota state championship, and was then selected to represent the United States at the 1961 World Archery Championships, where she was part of the gold-medal winning women's team. She continued to shoot, despite recurring illness and surgery, and reached her greatest achievement in defeating fellow American and world champion Nancy Vonderheide to win the 1963 World Championships, which she had paid her own way to attend. She added the US national championship in 1964, and represented the US at world championships until 1971.[http://www.archery.org/UserFiles/Document/Results/Results/Before2006/Outdoor/1961_Outdoor.pdf 1961 WAC results]{{Cite web |url=http://www.texasarchery.org/Documents/NAAHist/ArcheryChampions4thEdPHOpt.pdf |title=Archery Champions by Robert Rhode, 4th edition 1971 |access-date=2013-10-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131019135241/http://www.texasarchery.org/Documents/NAAHist/ArcheryChampions4thEdPHOpt.pdf |archive-date=2013-10-19 |url-status=dead }}[https://archive.today/20130620012704/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1075050/index.htm Sports Illustrated 5 Aug 1963: Sports Roundup of the Week][https://archive.today/20131023235102/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1076252/index.htm Sports Illustrated 17 Aug 1964: Sports Roundup of the Week]

Cook was inducted into the Archery Hall of Fame in 2011.[http://www.archeryhalloffame.com/Cook%20Victoria.html Archery Hall of Fame: Victoria Cook]