Next month, 3x Olympic Gold Medalist and 5x World Record Holder Stephanie Rice will be inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame. This will be her second Hall of Fame honor of the year as she was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame earlier this summer.
At 17 years old, Rice made her first international debut at the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games where she took home the gold in both the 200 and 400 IM. Carrying this momentum into the summer of 2007, Rice brought home two more medals for Australia after placing third in her respective events at the World Championships.
At the 2008 Australian Olympic Trials, Rice shattered both the 200 and 400 IM World Records, qualifying for her first Olympic team. She went on to the Beijing games and became one of seven Australian athletes to win three gold medals in one Olympics. Her three golds were paired with three new world records, lowering her two previous IM records and becoming the first woman to go under 4:30 in the 400 IM. She wrapped up her Olympic debut with her third world record in the 800 freestyle relay, leading off in a time that set a new Australian National Record in the 200 freestyle. These milestones ultimately lead to her being named Swimmer of the Meet, in company with Michael Phelps.
Following a record-breaking Olympic summer, Stephanie was awarded the Order of Australia Medal, a prestigious honor acknowledging outstanding achievement and service.
She went on to qualify for the 2012 London Games, placing 4th and 6th in the 200 and 400 IM despite having undergone two shoulder surgeries since 2010. After battling these injuries for years, Rice announced her retirement in 2014.
Rice continues to make an impact in swimming through her mentorship. She is the co-author of a book with nutritionist Kristin Dahl titled The Art of Wellness, filled with fitness and nutrition tips to living a healthy lifestyle. She has also released another book titled Magical Mentoring: Conquer Your Inner World and Become the Master of Your Destiny. This book is meant to serve as a 15-step personal development program.
She has recently paired up with her former coach, Michael Bohl, to start up a Learn-to-Swim program throughout India, and possibly a future academy called the “Stephanie Rice Elite Academy” in hopes of increasing participation and providing top tier resources to aid in the development of elite swimmers in India.
Well deserved induction; Not many people break 3 WRs at one Olympic Games. For some reason that 4×2 is the abiding memory for me, I think it was the shock factor. Fastest Aussie on paper went 1.57mid in the individual 200; Steph steps up and leads off in a 1.56.6 NR, inspires her team-mates to swim out of their skin, seconds quicker than they managed individually, and they break the WR.
Congrats to her.
That 4×200 was magical to watch. Steph hadn’t swam the 200 free at trials and for many Aussies it was a surprise to see her swim. Those women swam out of their skin.
And the Australian women have a habit of not quite nailing the 4×200 (while routinely nailing the other 2 relays). That night it all went right.
The other time they smashed it was this year at the WC.
Pretty sure the Aussies beat the USA in 2018 at Pan PACs in a great race .
Bout time, she went 4:29/2:07 before it was cool
On that point; Does anybody know her best post 2009 times? I have 2.09.65 in my head, but no idea about the 400.
Didn’t she go 2:08:68 in 2009? 4:32 in 2009 and 4:34 in 2011
I don’t know exactly but I remember they were a bit disappointing. However given the injuries she had her post 2009 times are not really a fair measure. Normally when people ask this they are making a point about the super suits. That kind of comparison can’t be made here.
Steph did very well post 2009 in between the shoulder surgeries. Her 400im times would have medalled & 200 fly even won at Gwangju ? . I forget the 200 winnng time but Steph had a low 2. 06 .
Steph had a 57.7 fly & 2.06 200fly just outside a medal at worlds 2011? Steph also swam the backstroke legs of the medley in heats with a 60.3 at a WC .
At 2012 Trials she went 4.33 for the 400im .after missing a lot of time getting the shoulder cleaned up .