FLOWERS AND A FOUR-YEAR-OLDS SMILE MELT STEPHANIES HEART
Sydney, October 26: A squad of future champions were in swimming heaven today when Olympic stars Stephanie Rice and Brenton Rickard conducted a special Swimming Australia clinic at the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre.
Triple gold medallist Rice and dual silver medallist Rickard were joined by leading Australian coaches Michael Bohl and Tony Shaw for a one-hour technique session on all four swimming strokes.
The youngsters from Albion Park and the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic squads were in awe of the celebrity coaching staff and some valuable lessons.
The Beijing Olympians gave the 40 youngsters an afternoon they will never forget with expert tuition and photos and autographs that will certainly be cherished forever.
Especially for one four-year-old cystic fibrosis sufferer from Canberra, Kate Daly, who made the trip to Sydney with her parents and little brother just to meet her Olympic hero, Stephanie Rice.
And coming to the pool, Kate had to bring a bunch of flowers for the dual Olympic medley champion.
"Kate watched Stephanie's every stroke on the television and knew that flowers were presented to all the winners in Beijing so she insisted on us buying Stephanie a bunch of roses," said her father Laurie.
Rose are the symbol of cystic fibrosis and Rice paid special attention to her greatest fan, who tried so hard in her special session.
"What a lovely gesture, I just love rose..thank you so much," Stephanie told little Kate.
"What a great kid.....so much heart...such an amazing little girl...so inspirational," said Rice.
I'm sure Kate thinks just the same about the young lady who captured the hearts of the nation with her amazing Olympic feats.
Both girls left the Aquatic Centre, the scene of Rice's world record swims last March, with big smiles on their faces...Rice with a bunch of flowers and Kate with a memory of the day she had a swimming lesson from an Olympic champion.- IAN HANSON.