Stephanie Rice, champion swimmer

Sunday 14 March 2010 1:00PM

Olympic triple gold medallist Stephanie Rice: after being disappointed by her own results in last year's World Championships, she's back in form, focused and ready to perform at this week's Commonwealth Games selection trials.


Monica Attard: She's glamorous. She's 21 years old. She's won three Olympic gold medals and she's gearing up for this year's Commonwealth Games.

Swimmer Stephanie Rice is my guest this week on Sunday Profile, just ahead of the selection trials for the Games in India in October, where she hopes to defend her 200 and 400 metre individual medley records. Hello, I'm Monica Attard.

Well, in amidst all the gruelling training and competing, Rice still battles that party girl image; all of it, she says on the record, a misinterpretation of her desire to be just a normal person who needs to relax after the strict routines of elite sport.

But her self-confidence and will to control her own image is a big plus in battling those public perceptions and her determination to win ... perhaps even to become the female version of Michael Phelps.

So, as she prepares for this week's Australian Swimming Championships, how prepared does she feel - particularly after being so ill-prepared for last year's Rome Championships?

Stephanie Rice: I'm actually feeling pretty good at the moment. I wouldn't say 100 per cent, but I think considering, sort of, the preparations that I've had over the past eighteen months, I think ever since Olympics, I haven't really been able to get myself as prepared as I would have liked to have been. So I think leading into these trials I am definitely a lot further forward than I ever was in '09. So I'm really looking forward to racing this time round, just 'cause I'm feeling a lot more confident, but hopefully if I swim well and make the team, I'll be, you know, even better prepared for later on in the year.

Monica Attard: What more do you need to do, do you think?

Stephanie Rice: I think it's sort of like a little bit of everything. I would like to be a little bit fitter and a little bit stronger, a little bit lighter. You know, they're all things that you sort of don't want to be at the top of your game for the trials - like, you sort of just want to be able to do as good as you can, but then be able to improve on that for the international competitions.

Monica Attard: So then the time after that between the trials and the actual comp, that's very intense?

Stephanie Rice: Yeah definitely, it'll really heat up and get a lot more intense, and at least if I swim well and do make the team, I won't be starting back from scratch. I think I've already got a pretty good base to work on now, so I'll be able to move forward rather than sort of trying to play catch up and get back to where I was.

Monica Attard: And you're confident that you'll qualify, even though you're not in top form?

Stephanie Rice: Yeah, I'm pretty confident. I'm not in top form but I'm not bad, and I'm definitely a lot better than I was this time last year and I swam quite well. I guess the thing that I really, sort of, rely on in me is that I love racing and I love competing and so I know that, you know, when the time comes and the pressure's on and I have to swim well, I'm sort of able to pull it out and sort of get the best out of myself.

Monica Attard: Now, your performance in the Rome World Championships last year didn't meet your own expectation. Now, is that the biggest challenge that you face; meeting your own expectations?

Stephanie Rice: I probably would say that's definitely it. I sort of set myself really high standards, which is good and bad. If I know that I've done all I can to prepare, that's when I race the best, and in '09 I was going through a lot of emotional ups and downs and I was never as fit as I would have liked to have been. So I never felt comfortable. I think, you know, racing ... it was just sort of like I didn't put that much pressure on myself because I knew that I hadn't prepared as good as I would have liked to.

So I just kind of went in and took the meet a lot more relaxed than I obviously did in Beijing, and I definitely came out with medals that I didn't deserve from the preparation that I'd had. So I guess, you know, I really have to put that down to just racing on the day. But, look, I really didn't deserve them, though.

Monica Attard: That's extraordinary for you to say because you got bronze, didn't you?

Stephanie Rice: I got a silver and a bronze and I broke my own world record that I did in Olympics, but I think it was such a strange meet, you know, with the suits and everyone was just doing incredible times. All but two world records were broken, so it was just really strange to see people swim so fast.

Monica Attard: Now they're the polyurethane based suits that you didn't like, did you?

Stephanie Rice: Yeah, I didn't like them very much. They felt so much different, you know, when you were racing and they felt so different in the water, and I felt retarded when I was swimming but then I would swim a really good time. So it was really weird, like, whilst you were swimming you felt like this is going to be a really bad time, I'm going to go so slow and then you turn around and you see the scoreboard and you're like, oh, that's a pretty good time!

Monica Attard: So do you think the swimming records established during the era of those suits should stand? Or do you think they should be abolished?

Stephanie Rice: I think that you can't ever really take away someone's world records and someone's times because they've obviously achieved it legally. But it's just sort of hard now because they're so far ahead of where we're going to be once this year sort of starts up competitively, because of the new suits that have now come in are definitely not to that sort of standard. So I think what would be good is to sort of have two lots of world records. Like, you know, a lot of world records that are going to start now because obviously those ones that were achieved in '09 are not going to be broken for maybe ten or twenty years.

Monica Attard: So you don't think they can be broken?

Stephanie Rice: I'm not going to say that they won't. I think some will be easier to break than others. But in terms of my races, like the 200 IM is almost 2.5 seconds faster than what I did in Olympics and I don't know whether there's that much improvement in me to be able to go 2.5 seconds faster than that.

But I'd like to come as close as I can to it, but I don't know if it will ever happen.

Monica Attard: Of course, people who are listening to this think how much science and how much effort can go into 2.5 seconds?

Stephanie Rice: Yeah, I know, it's a lot.

Monica Attard: I mean, it's extraordinary, isn't it? I think for most people it's hard to understand what it is about swimming - I mean, it's such a solo endeavour. You know, what grabs you about swimming? What excites you about it? Is it whizzing along looking at a black line at the bottom of a pool? Is it the feel as you glide through the water? Is it the sense of being faster than anybody else?

Stephanie Rice: It's a little bit of everything. I guess I've always loved swimming ever since I was a baby.

Monica Attard: Is it the final result, Stephanie?

Stephanie Rice: It's definitely a little bit of the final result. I think for me I've always loved being in the water and I love training and I love being at the pool, so you know it's not a chore for me to go training, but come race day I would never just train to train - I train to race. So putting everything on the line and feeling the adrenaline and the pressure, and I love the feeling of being in the water whilst you're racing so you can't really see anyone else or hear anything. It's sort of just you going through your own little motions. And I love the feeling of touching the wall and turning around and seeing a good result and hopefully not a bad one. But I just love all of those feelings that I go through, and yeah, I definitely don't know how I'll be once I quit because I do love all those adrenalines and the nerves and everything.

Monica Attard: Well, we'll talk soon about quitting, but the training must be gruelling. I mean, after Beijing you were inundated with sponsorship commitments and you went on holidays absolutely exhausted and you got sick and you put on a lot of weight. Now you've already referred to the fact that your weight isn't where you want it to be for these trials. Do you feel the pressure to be thin?

Stephanie Rice: I wouldn't say the pressure to be thin. I think it's so different to be an athlete. So for me, I guess, being a teenage girl, you know, going through school there was definitely a lot of pressure to be, you know, that sort of stereotype look, but I guess that was something that I had to really just try not to worry about because being an athlete you're always going to have a different physique. But for me it's about feeling confident in my body, because obviously you don't want to be dreading or being upset about it, but at the same time having the right body shape that's going to be the best for me in the pool. So coming to a sort of conclusion of both of those, I think, you know, I've never been like 100 per cent confident with my body but I definitely had a blow out year in '09, and I definitely put on a lot of weight and I've sort of lost, sort of, 4.5/5 kilos since then which is good and I've probably only got two to go so I'm not feeling too bad, but you know that's something that I'd like to sort of taper down for later on in the year.

Monica Attard: Because all of this just points to incredible willpower, I mean, you have to have enormous willpower to be able to go through the daily training, to be able to keep the weight down, you know, and I wonder whether there are days where you think, you know what? It's just not worth it.

Stephanie Rice: There's days when I probably think oh ... I'm just gonna not worry about it today. But I don't ever really feel like ... I've never gone through a day when I'm like I don't want to ever do this again. So it's sort of about finding the balance and, you know, the training is so intense - we train seven hours a day - so there's not a lot of time to have a social life or sort of do the things that you want to do. So I try and sort of stay really motivated and eat really well and do everything that I can possibly do to train well during the week, and then we train Saturday morning and then I sort of like to just be really relaxed over the weekend, and if I feel like having some treats and going to the movies or having a few drinks at night, I'll do that on the weekends. So it's sort of something to look forward to and it makes me feel refreshed and sort of ready to be motivated again for the week ahead.

Monica Attard: On ABC Radio you're listening to Sunday Profile. I'm Monica Attard and we're joined by Stephanie Rice.

Now you talked about being more in control of your life since you split with your sports management agency. You now of course manage yourself. You have said that other people are now no longer dictating the terms of your life but, you know, given all that you've just been talking about - the regime that you have to live almost everyday with a brief exception sometimes on a Saturday afternoon - you know, I wonder how much you are in actual control of your life because it seems that competition really controls your life.

Stephanie Rice: I am in control because if I didn't want to be as strict as I am, there's no one telling me that I have to be this way, that's just the way that I want to be and I want to be able to get to best out of myself come race day. So I think, as I was saying before, for me to stand behind the blocks and be ready to race I need to have that feeling going through my head of 'I've done everything I possibly can to swim well right now so lets just have a go'. And I think if there was something that was holding me back from feeling that then that's something that I want to change. So I am very strict and I am very stubborn and self-minded, but that helps me to get the best out of myself.

Monica Attard: Now in 2009 you said that you thought that retirement was perhaps four years away. What are you actually doing to prepare yourself for that? I mean, are you studying, are you doing anything beyond swimming?

Stephanie Rice: At the moment I've sort of have been really busy, since I've started managing myself, so I haven't really had a lot of time to study and do other things because I've taken on, sort of, another huge role with managing. But I'm not interested in studying at this point in time. I definitely am interested in doing it, but I've tried to study before and I just couldn't fit it into my schedule.

Monica Attard: You want to study fashion design, don't you?

Stephanie Rice: I don't know if I would want to study fashion design ... I'm definitely interested in it. I'd love to study nutrition; I'm super interested in how the body works and what's good for you. But it's something that I think I need to dedicate 100 per cent to and I can't dedicate 100 per cent to studying and swimming at the same time. So I'd love to do that once I finish.

Monica Attard: Now you've mentioned also publicly that you wouldn't mind designing for Davenport which is, of course, one of your sponsors.

Stephanie Rice: Yep.

Monica Attard: Now that would be a pretty easy leg-up into a career, wouldn't it be?

Stephanie Rice: Oh definitely. I've been so fortunate to have the opportunity to work with Davenport and sort of being a fashion label is an extremely good opportunity for me, and they've sort of said that we could maybe work something out to do my own, sort of, pieces. So that would be really, really fun, and I'm sort of looking into doing that later on in the year because I love underwear and I love the range that Davenport have, so that is definitely a good opportunity.

Monica Attard: I mean, a lot of people your age would kill for an opportunity like that. Do you think you've earned the right to just walk into a fashion career in that way?

Stephanie Rice: Oh, that's hard to answer without sounding boastful, but I think I've definitely earned the opportunity through my swimming, and I've definitely, sort of, worked hard for what I've done in the pool, and that's been good enough to get me opportunities that I have with my sponsors. So I think I'm fortunate to have sponsorship and it's definitely helped me out in a lot of ways, especially financially. But to, sort of, sign with Davenport has given me the opportunity to pursue fashion which is something that I'm interested in. But I think that's what makes Davenport and me such a great fit to work together as well.

Monica Attard: Now, I mean, a fashion career of course might also reinforce that public perception of you, which is reinforced by the media, that you're a bit of a party girl.

Stephanie Rice: Yep.

Monica Attard: A bit light on. Now, does that bother you, that perception? You don't like that party girl tag, do you?

Stephanie Rice: I don't like the party girl tag just because I think it's, sort of, been a bit too blown out of proportion. Like, I'm not going to deny that I've definitely been out and had some fun in my time. But I think what sort of frustrated me the most about the headlines was that it was all done at appropriate times; I've sort of never been out and never drank when it's been important racing times. It's always, you know, when it fits into the schedule, so that was obviously straight after Olympics and straight after World Championships.

Monica Attard: Were you shocked at some of the coverage of your partying?

Stephanie Rice: I guess I was shocked because I didn't know how big of a deal it was going to be, and there's sort of nothing that can prepare you for that. So yeah, it was a little bit like, sort of, more emotional just because I didn't feel like I was a party girl, but everyone sort of thought that I was.

Monica Attard: Was it unfair?

Stephanie Rice: I think it was unfair just because, to me, I felt like I'd done so well in the pool and there was all this great coverage, and then all of a sudden it just sort of got turned. So that was just hard to handle, and I guess I just think that everything happens for a reason, and I am fortunate to have gone through the scrutiny as well because I think it's just prepared me even better for, sort of, things that are happening now.

Monica Attard: I imagine there would have to be an upside to the party girl tag, because from all reports you were bullied at school from around the age of ten, and you were a little bit plump and your self-confidence was a little low as well. So it must be a bittersweet position to be in as far as the bullies are concerned. Have you ever bumped into any of them?

Stephanie Rice: I've ran into a few, yeah, and I guess, yeah, you're exactly right - I feel a lot better about myself, you know, since I've really taken on swimming a lot more seriously, and the people that I hang around in the pool are just people that I mesh with really well, and my confidence has definitely improved a lot since school has finished. And it is a good feeling to sort of know that I'm achieving things and I'm doing things with my life and, you know, other people that, you know, were bullying you through school sort of haven't really moved anywhere. So that's definitely a nice feeling.

Monica Attard: So have you ever said to them, you know, now what do you reckon?

Stephanie Rice: (laughs) No! I guess going through bullying really makes you aware of how you treat people and what you say to them, and treat people how you'd want to be treated. So I don't think I'd ever be rude back. It's just a nice feeling to have inside.

Monica Attard: Now Stephanie, Australia has a bit of an obsession with the personal lives of its elite sports people and its swimmers, in particular. Now, Ian Thorpe carried that for a very long time and at times it really upset him. Have you ever had a chat with him about what it takes, in terms of character, to live your life under the microscope?

Stephanie Rice: Yeah, I've talked to Ian before. It's kind of strange, I've never actually really known him too well because we never have been swimming at the same times together. But he's been sort of a great person for me to talk to, especially with the personal life stuff, and he's given me advice on how he handled it and, you know, the feelings that he went through and how it affected him. So it was really good for me to sort of see his side of the story and see how he handled it.

Monica Attard: So what was his advice?

Stephanie Rice: His advice was that he found it a lot better for him to not read any articles and basically just sort of stay away from everything that was written about him. And for me, that's not how I like to go about things - I would prefer to read it and prefer to know what people are saying about me, but just not take it to heart. You know, read it, get upset about it or whatever, and then let it go.

But yeah, as you were saying, private life has been definitely something that has been probably the hardest for me to handle in the media.

Monica Attard: Yeah. You had all that media attention and the obsession with your relationship with Eamon Sullivan.

Stephanie Rice: Yeah, and it was all great at the time when things were great with Eamon and I, and going into Olympics obviously that changed and I don't think it was a big deal before Olympics, it was just mainly after. And it was pretty hard to handle. And especially going through a break up, that's not easy on its own, so that's what I was saying is very emotional, and to have something that's really private and have it so public and have everyone asking questions about it was the hardest for me to handle, just because there was nothing that I felt like I could do to change people's opinion.

Monica Attard: And of course then there were the rumours about the relationship with Michael Phelps. I mean, I wonder, you know, did you find that amusing? Or did you find it hurtful?

Stephanie Rice: At the start I found it hurtful and then I found it funny. Because it was so strange to me to have people just so interested in something that goes on in everyone's life, and it just kept going on and on and on, and I just had to laugh about it after a while because I couldn't believe how big a deal they were making of it.

Monica Attard: So did all of those events, happening as they did during and after the Beijing Olympics, is that what pointed you in the direction of taking control of your own life and splitting with your management and working with your mum? Did that make it better?

Stephanie Rice: Well, I didn't split with my management until only a couple of months ago. So I was with them all through Olympics, and I definitely think that it was very fortunate for me to go through that after Olympics whirlwind having a management group, because I needed the support and I didn't know how to handle things and, you know, I know how to handle all the swimming and that's fine. But the public private life and the ups and downs and the negative ... it was really hard to handle, so it was great to have the management support through that, because they obviously knew what they were doing and I didn't. And I think, you know, I have been very fortunate, I've had two management companies and I've learnt from both of them a lot of things, and the reason that I split was just because I know what I'm doing now and I want to take control of what I'm doing.

Monica Attard: OK, Stephanie, let's talk a little bit about the Commonwealth Games again because security has been a big talking point, with threats made against those who might attend. Are you concerned at all?

Stephanie Rice: Yeah, I am concerned. There's been a lot of talk about the security and it definitely makes me worried. But at this point in time, like, I haven't even made the team. So I don't want to worry about whether I'm going or not going yet because I don't even know if I'm allowed to go because I haven't made the team. And the team that is picked goes to the Pan Pacs, which are in California in August, and then that's where the team is picked for Commonwealth. So it won't be until the end of August that I'll know if I'm even a part of the Commonwealth team. So I don't want to worry about anything to do with Commonwealths until a lot later on in the year, and I guess I'll make a decision around that time, and it'll have a lot to do with what the Australian swim team, sort of, decides as well.

Monica Attard: Well, let's assume that you're going to India. I mean, I think we'd all be gobsmacked if you didn't make the team - no pressure, we would all be gobsmacked. You know, how do you make that decision? How do you kind of balance up your own personal safety against this incredible motivation to swim and to win?

Stephanie Rice: Yeah, it is definitely going to be a very hard decision because Commonwealths holds a lot of memories for me; that was my first international competition four years ago. So I would love to be there and to race again and just experience the whole Commonwealth fever again. I'd be concerned with my family going - I don't think that my family would go if I made it, and I think that is just because I think there would be a lot more security, sort of, throughout the team rather than just spectators walking along the streets.

Monica Attard: So you'd ask them to stay behind.

Stephanie Rice: Yeah, and they would come to the Pan Pacs with me, so I'd be happy that they would be able to come and support me at one international competition for the year.

Monica Attard: And a final question, Stephanie. If you decide not to go to India for the Commonwealth Games would that be a big personal disappointment?

Stephanie Rice: Yeah, it would be. You know, as I was saying, I really do want to go, so it would definitely be upsetting and I don't know if I'd be able to really watch the Games if I didn't go, because it would be hugely upsetting, and it's going to be a really big decision.

Monica Attard: It's hard to imagine that you wouldn't watch the Games.

Stephanie Rice: I think that the emotional side of it, it'd be easier for me not to watch.

Monica Attard: Stephanie Rice, thank you very, very much for talking to us, and good luck.

Stephanie Rice: Thank you so much.

Monica Attard: And that was Stephanie Rice - world champion swimmer, holder of three Olympic gold medals and hoping for more.

And that's the show for this week, thanks for listening and to producer, Belinda Sommer.