Janis Hape

Janis Lynn Hape (March 10, 1958 – March 7, 2021), also known by her married name Janis Dowd, was an American competition swimmer.

Hape represented the United States as an 18-year-old at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, Quebec. She competed in the preliminary heats of the women's 200-meter breaststroke, and recorded a best time of 2:45.57.

Hape attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and swam for the North Carolina Tar Heels swimming and diving team in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) competition from 1977 to 1980. The North Carolina women's team, managed by Head Coach Frank Comfort was exceptionally strong those years, and also featured 1972 Olympian Ann Marshall, 1976 Olympic medalist Wendy Weinberg, and 1976 100-meter American record holder Bonnie Brown. In 1980, near the end of Hape's time swimming at North Carolina, Sue Walsh, UNC Athletic Hall of Fame and 1983 Pan American Gold medalist, joined the team. Hape died from heart failure on March 7, 2021, at the age of 62.