Winners: Nancy Garapick, Swimming

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Nancy Garapick at the Olympic Games

Nancy Garapick at the 1976 Summer Olympic Games in Montreal.
Date: July 17, 1976
Collection: CP Photo/COC

1975 - Feature Story

Nancy Garapick emerged as a force in world swimming at an age when most athletes only begin to explore their potential. She was just 13 years old when she set a world record in the 200m backstroke at the Eastern Canadian Championships in Brantford, Ontario. A year earlier, the Halifax athlete had served notice she was a future talent by setting 12 national age group records. But few could have foreseen her meteoric rise in performance to establish the world mark. Garapick went on to win the 100m and 200m backstroke titles at the 1975 National Championships, advancing to the 1975 World Aquatic Championships in Cali, Colombia. In the 200m backstroke final, Garapick won a Silver medal, out-finished in world record time by East Germany’s Birgit Treiber. Garapick also earned a Bronze medal in the 100m backstroke. By year’s end, at age 14, she became the youngest athlete honoured as Canada’s Female Athlete of the Year.

Career Highlights

  • 2008 Inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame
  • 1979 Silver medals in 200m individual medley, and 4x100m medley relay; Bronze medals in 100m butterfly, 200m butterfly, 400m individual medley at the Pan American Games in San Juan, Puerto Rico
  • 1978 Bronze medal in 4x100m freestyle at the World Championships in Berlin, Germany
  • 1976 Bronze medal in 100m backstroke; Bronze medal in 200m backstroke at the Olympic Games in Montreal
  • 1975 Silver medal in 200m backstroke; Bronze medal in 100m backstroke at the World Championships in Cali, Colombia
  • 1975 Bobbie Rosenfeld Award (Canada’s Female Athlete of the Year)
Nancy Garapick’s recognition for Canadian record.

Canadian Amateur Swimming Association certificate presented to Nancy Garapick for establishing a Canadian record for the 100m freestyle with a time of 56.93.
Date: February 12, 1977
Collection: Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame

Nancy Garapick’s international swimming placement.

Certificate of recognition presented to Nancy Garapick for world ranking performances in the 200m backstroke.
Date: 1974
Collection: Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame

Nancy Garapick’s Canadian Swimming Championship Silver medal.

Silver medal won by Nancy Garapick in the 200m Individual medley at the Canadian Swimming Championships.
Date: August 21, 1976
Collection: Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame

National recognition for Nancy Garapick.

S.C. Canadian Champion plaque awarded to Nancy Garapick for her win in the 400m individual medley.
Date: 1981
Collection: Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame

Nancy Garapick’s World Cup medal.

Medal won by Nancy Garapick in the First FINA World Cup.
Date: September 1979
Collection: Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame

Nancy Garapick wins an isosceles trapezoid shaped medal.

Medal won by Nancy Garapick in the 200m individual medley at the Regina Commonwealth Games and World Championship Trials.
Date: 1978
Collection: Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame

Nancy Garapick’s Olympic Trials silver medal.

Silver medal won by Nancy Garapick in the 200m backstroke at the Olympic Trials.
Date: 1976
Collection: Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame

Nancy Garapick’s 1979 Pan American Games silver medal.

Silver Medal won by Nancy Garapick in the 400m individual medley at the Pan Am Games in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Date: July 1979
Collection: Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame

Pattern of red Canadian maple leafs on Nancy Garapick’s swimsuit.

Swimsuit worn by Nancy Garapick.
Date: 1970’s
Collection: Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame

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