1976 Olympian and Swimming Philanthropist Janis Hape Dowd Dies at 62

American swimmer and swimming philanthropist Janis Hape Dowd died on Sunday. She was 62-years old.

No cause of death has been reported, though her heart began to fail last week, with doctors unable to find a clear expectation at the time.

Dowd represented the United States at the 1976 Summer Olympic Games, where she finished in 25th place in the 200 meter breaststroke.

To a modern generation of swimmer, Dowd is memorialized through the eponymous Janis Hape Dowd Invitational hosted annually by the University of North Carolina, one of the major mid-season invites annually in the NCAA. She is one of the major funders of that invitational every year.

A 2019 North Carolina Swimming Hall of Fame inductee, Dowd grew up in Mission Viejo, California, but trained with different teams around the country. She competed as an age grouper for Totem Lake Swim Club in Kirkland, Washington, and swam for West Genesee High School in Camillus, New York.

After her Olympic appearance, Dowd attended the University of North Carolina and was a varsity member of the UNC women’s team. An All-American as a freshman and sophomore, she set North Carolina school records in the 50, 100, and 200 yard breaststrokes.

Members of the 1976 Olympic Team remembered her as a central figure of that group, who always kept in touch with the rest of the group and invited them over for dinner when they were in Charlotte.

Mike Unger, the Chief Operating Officer of USA Swimming said that the passing was a shock because Dowd was “always so positive and upbeat.”

He says that she was always an encouraging force behind the documentary The Last Gold, which chronicled the story of the American women’s 400 free relay at the 1976 Olympic Games that defeated the East German team that won 11 out of the other 12 events that year.

Current University of North Carolina head coach Mark Gangloff talked about when he made his first connection to Dowd, even before he was the Tar Heels’ head coach.

“Janis was a huge supporter for me personally and for UNC Swimming and Diving,” he said. “My relationship started with her in 2008 in the lead up to the Beijing Olympics when I lived in Charlotte, NC (her primary residence). This was at the early stages of Team Elite, with David Marsh, and we were establishing relationships in the Charlotte community and Janis, being a ’76 Olympian, was a natural connection to make.

“I left Charlotte in 2009 and moved back to Auburn to swim with Brett Hawke but every year, I would drive up to Charlotte for the Ultra Swim. Janis, out of her support for me and love of swimming, would graciously host me at her home which allowed me a comfortable place to stay. Frequently, Janis would reach out with words of congratulations and support through my swimming and early coaching career at Mizzou.

“Being and UNC Alumni ’77-’80, Janis and I were fortunate enough to connect again when I was named head coach. Throughout the years, Janis and her husband, Frank Dowd IV, have supported UNC Swimming and Diving in various capacities. Janis was always quick to lend a helping hand

“Yesterday, at our Last Chance meet, before the start of the session I shared the news of her passing to our team and some personal memories of Janis and her impact on our program. I believe this conversation centered our program and allowed us to have the successful night that we did. Like always, Janis played a critical role to our team’s success.”

The Tar Heel men broke the school record in the 200 medley relay on Sunday at the team’s Last Chance meet.

“The UNC Swimming and Diving family mourns the loss of Janis but we are grateful for the time we had with her,” Gangloff concluded. “The swimming community lost a huge advocate and thoughts and prayers are with her family.”

After college, she married fellow UNC alumnus Frank Dowd IV, who is part of the 4th generation of Dowd’s to run the Charlotte Pipe and Foundry company, which was founded in 1901. The Dowds have donated generously to the USA Swimming Foundation and USA Swimming in addition to the UNC swimming & diving programs.

Janis and Frank Dowd have three children, Will, Diana, and Sally.