RICE WINS GOLD AND SETS NEW WORLD RECORD

Posted in Swimming

stephanie rice waves to the crowd 1 photo magicpbk sal.jpgBEIJING, CHINA, August  10:Stephanie Rice has scooped the pool in Beijing today - winning Australia's 400th Olympic medal - when she won Australia's first gold of the Games in world record time at the Water Cube .

Rice has gone from emerging age grouper to Olympic champion in three years. IAN HANSON REPORTS....  

It took her 4 minutes 29.45 seconds to etch her names into the history books -the first Australian to win the 400m individual medley gold since Gail Neal in 1972 in Munich.  

Rice was "on" from the opening butterfly leg - was under world record pace for the entire race and was never headed.   Although silver medallist Kirsty Coventry (Zimbabwe) 4:29.89 was also under the previous world mark of 4:31.12 held by USA bronze medallist Katie Hoff who stopped the clock at 4:31.71 to collect bronze.   Rice said it was every girls dream to win Olympic gold.   "I have dreamt of this moment but did not want to get too far ahead of myself - I knew if I got the process right I would be in with a good chance," said Rice, who also met the Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. prime minister kevin rudd and stephanie rice photo aoc.jpg

Rudd said: "It's a great honour to meet you Stephanie - conratulations on a wonderful swim - you have certainly done yourself and your country proud."  

Stephanie said they had a good general chat and thought it was "pretty cool."  
She later caught up with her father Warren and gold medal winnng daughter had a few quite moments and shared a soft drink with a very proud dad.  

RESULTS AFTER DAY TWO - FINALS


Men  
400m individual medley
1 Michael Phelps       USA    4:03.84WR
2 Laszlo Cseh            HUN   4:06.16                         
3 Ryan lochte            USA    4:08.09                          
4 Alessio Boggiatto    ITA     4:12.16                          
5 Luca Marin             ITA     4:12.47                           
6 Gergo Kis               HUN   4:12.84                          shlanger_mills__campbell__trickett_bronze4x100_free_photomagicpbk_sal.jpg
7 Brian Johns            CAN    4:13.38                          
8 Thiago Pereira        BRA    4:15.40  

400m freestyle
1. Taehwan Park           KOR           3:41.86
2. Lin Zhang                 CHN           3:42.44
3. Larsen Jensen           USA           3:42.78
4. Peter Vanderkaay      USA           3:43.11
5. Oussama Mellouli      TUN           3:43.45
6. Grant Hackett            AUS           3:43.84
7. Yuriy Prilukov            RUS           3:43.97
8. Nikita Lobintsev         RUS           3:48.29  

Women  
4x100m freestyle relay
1          NED     3:33.76
2          USA     3:34.33
3          AUS     3:35.05
4          CHN     3:35.64
5          GER     3:36.85
6          FRA      3:37.68 brenton_rickard_100breaststroke_heats_magicpbk_sal.jpg
7          GBR     3:38.18
8          CAN     3:38.32  

400m individual medley
1 Stephanie Rice             AUS       4:29.45 WR
2 Kirsty Coventry              ZIM      4:29.89
3 Katie Hoff                      USA    4:31.71
4 Elizabeth Beisel            USA      4:34.24
5 Alessia Filippi                ITA      4:34.34
6 Hannah Miley                GBR     4:39.44
7 Yana Martynova            RUS     4:40.04
8 Xuanxu Li                      CHN    4:42.13 


MEDAL COUNT - AUSTRALIA
Gold
Stephanie Rice 4:29.45 WR  

Silver -  

Bronze
4x100m womens freestyle relay Final - Cate Campbell 54.43, Alice Mills 54.43, Melanie Schlanger 53.85, Lisbeth Trickett 52.34, 3:35.05 (Heat: Cate Campbell 54.65 Alice Mills 54.55 Melanie Schlanger 54.69 Shayne Reese 53.92 3:37.81)