Stephanie Rice facts for kids
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| Nickname(s) | "Steph" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 17 June 1988 Brisbane, Queensland, Australia |
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| Height | 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 67 kg (148 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Swimming | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Strokes | Medley, freestyle, butterfly | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Club | St Peters Western | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coach | Michael Bohl | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Stephanie Louise Rice, OAM (born 17 June 1988) is a famous Australian former competitive swimmer. She achieved great success, winning three gold medals at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. For her amazing achievements, she was given the Medal of the Order of Australia in 2009.
Stephanie officially announced her retirement from swimming on 9 April 2014.
Contents
Swimming Career Highlights
Stephanie Rice started her career with strong performances. She quickly became known for her skills in individual medley events.
Early Success at Commonwealth Games
In 2006, Stephanie won two gold medals at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia. She won the 200-metre individual medley, beating other top swimmers. She also took gold in the 400-metre individual medley. These wins showed she was a rising star in swimming.
World Championships Medals
At the 2007 World Aquatics Championships, Stephanie earned two bronze medals. She placed third in both the 200-metre and 400-metre individual medleys. She set new personal best times in these races.
In 2007, she continued to improve her times. At the Japanese Open Championships, she set a new Australian and Commonwealth record in the 400-metre individual medley. She finished with a silver medal.
Breaking World Records
Before the 2008 Olympics, Stephanie showed incredible form. At the 2008 Australian Olympic trials, she broke two world records. She set new fastest times in both the 400-metre and 200-metre individual medleys. This made her a top contender for the Olympic Games.
Olympic Glory in Beijing 2008
The 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing were a huge success for Stephanie. She won three gold medals, and each win set a new world record!
- 400-metre individual medley: This was her first Olympic medal and Australia's first gold of the Games. She broke the world record, becoming the first woman to swim under 4 minutes and 30 seconds in this event.
- 200-metre individual medley: Just a few days later, she won her second gold. She set another world record in this race.
- 4×200-metre freestyle relay: Stephanie also helped her team win a third gold medal. She swam the first part of the relay, and the Australian team set a new world record together.
Later World Championships
At the 2009 World Aquatics Championships, Stephanie continued to win medals. She earned a silver medal in the 200-metre individual medley. She also won a bronze medal in the 400-metre individual medley. She added another silver medal for her part in the 4×100-metre medley relay heats.
In the 2011 World Aquatics Championships, Stephanie won a bronze medal in the 400-metre individual medley. She finished fourth in the 200-metre individual medley.
Final Olympic Appearance
Stephanie competed in the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. She had undergone several shoulder surgeries before these Games. She finished fourth in the 200-metre individual medley and sixth in the 400-metre individual medley. The London Olympics marked her last major competition as a swimmer.
Personal Best Times
Stephanie's fastest times were:
- 200-metre individual medley: 2:07.03 (set in 2009)
- 400-metre individual medley: 4:29.45 (set at the 2008 Summer Olympics)
Awards and Recognition
Stephanie Rice has received many awards for her swimming achievements:
- 2008 – Telstra Australian Swimmer of the Year.
- 2008 – Swimming World Magazine Female World Swimmer of the Year.
- 2009 – Awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia.
- 2019 – Inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame.
- 2019 – Inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame.
About Stephanie's Life
Stephanie Louise Rice was born in Brisbane, Australia, on 17 June 1988. Her parents are Raelene Clark and Warren Rice. She attended Clayfield College for her high school years in Brisbane.
In 2013, Stephanie won season 3 of The Celebrity Apprentice Australia. This showed her skills outside of swimming.
On January 10, 2025, Stephanie married pastor Mark Lassey in Perth. Mark Lassey preaches in Perth and in Dubai.
See also
In Spanish: Stephanie Rice para niños
- List of multiple Olympic gold medalists at a single Games
- List of Olympic medalists in swimming (women)
- List of World Aquatics Championships medalists in swimming (women)
- List of Commonwealth Games medallists in swimming (women)
