Olympic Swimmer Nancy Garapick Dies at 64

Summary:

• Nancy Garapick has died peacefully at her home in Langley.
• The swimmer won two Olympic bronze medals at the 1976 Montreal Games.
• She set a world record at just 13 and became Canada’s youngest female athlete of the year at 14.

Former Canadian swim star and two-time Olympic medallist Nancy Garapick has died at the age of 64, leaving behind a remarkable legacy in sport and in the lives she touched.

Swimming Canada confirmed that Garapick died peacefully at her home in Langley, British Columbia, on Monday.

World Record at 13

Born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Garapick’s swimming career quickly rose early on, grabbing nationwide attention. At only 13 years old, on April 27, 1975, she managed the incredible feat of setting a world record in the 200-metre backstroke during the Eastern Canadian Swimming Championships in Brantford, Ontario. 

At the time, she was competing for the Halifax Trojan Aquatic Club, where her journey in the sport began.

Her success continued to build. Only a year later, she was named Canada’s youngest-ever female athlete of the year at the age of 14, a sign of what was still to come.

She Took Home Two Olympic Bronze Medals

Garapick’s most memorable performances came at the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal. Competing on home soil, she earned bronze medals in both the 100-metre and 200-metre backstroke events. 

Her calm presence and steady performance stood out during a time when expectations were high for Canadian athletes.

Over the course of her career, she collected 17 national titles and 38 championship medals, along with podium finishes at the world level. 

Thanks to her amazing achievements, she was inducted into the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame, the Nova Scotia Sports Hall of Fame, and later, in 2008, the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame.

Beyond her medals, Garapick remained closely connected to her roots and to the swimming community. She was known as a mentor and a role model, supporting younger athletes and sharing her experience as well as inspiring the next superstars of Canadian Swimming like Summer McIntosh .

Her life reflected more than success in the pool, showing a lasting commitment to learning, growth, and the people around her.