Stephanie Rice Wants You to Stop Calling Her a Party Girl

Michael Phelps isn't the only Olympian to be pinned as a partier after having success at the Beijing Olympics. Stephanie Rice, three-time 2008 gold medalist in the 200-meter, 400-meter and 4 x 200 relay, has been labeled a party girl in her home country of Australia and is trying to shake the image, saying she has avoided knocking back shots since the new year.

Stephanie Rice Snapshots

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 31: Actress Rachael Taylor (R) and Australian Olympic gold medallist Stephanie Rice attend the women's final match between Serena Williams of the United States of America and Dinara Safina of Russia during day thirteen of the 2009 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 31, 2009 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Stephanie Rice;Rachael Taylor

Getty Images

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 31: Actress Rachael Taylor and Australian Olympic gold medallist Stephanie Rice attend the women's final match between Serena Williams of the United States of America and Dinara Safina of Russia during day thirteen of the 2009 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 31, 2009 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Rachael Taylor;Stephanie Rice

Getty Images

(FILES) Gold medalist from Australia Stephanie Rice claims victory after the women's 400m individual medley swimming final at the National Aquatics Center druing the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games on August 10, 2008 in Beijing. Triple Olympic gold medallist Stephanie Rice was named Australia's Swimmer of the Year at a function here on October 27, 2008. Rice, 20, was Australia's outstanding swimmer at the Beijing Olympics last August, winning the 200-400m medley double and the 4x200m freestyle relay, all in world record time. AFP PHOTO / TIMOTHY CLARY / FILES (Photo credit should read TIM CLARY/AFP/Getty Images)

AFP/Getty Images

(FILES) Australia's Stephanie Rice takes of her cap after victory in the women's 400m individual medley swimming final at the National Aquatics Center in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games on August 10, 2008 in Beijing. Triple Olympic gold medallist Stephanie Rice was named Australia's Swimmer of the Year at a function here on October 27, 2008. Rice, 20, was Australia's outstanding swimmer at the Beijing Olympics last August, winning the 200-400m medley double and the 4x200m freestyle relay, all in world record time. AFP PHOTO / FRANCOIS-XAVIER MARIT / FILES (Photo credit should read FRANCOIS XAVIER MARIT/AFP/Getty Images)

AFP/Getty Images

(FILES) Australian swimmer Stephanie Rice arrives for a promotional event to celebrate the end of the Olympic swimming programme, in Beijing on August 17, 2008. Triple Olympic gold medallist Stephanie Rice was named Australia's Swimmer of the Year at a function here on October 27, 2008. Rice, 20, was Australia's outstanding swimmer at the Beijing Olympics last August, winning the 200-400m medley double and the 4x200m freestyle relay, all in world record time. AFP PHOTO / Mark RALSTON / FILES (Photo credit should read MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images)

AFP/Getty Images

(FILES) Australia's Stephanie Rice waves after the women's 400m individual medley swimming final at the National Aquatics Center in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games on August 10, 2008 in Beijing. Triple Olympic gold medallist Stephanie Rice was named Australia's Swimmer of the Year at a function here on October 27, 2008. Rice, 20, was Australia's outstanding swimmer at the Beijing Olympics last August, winning the 200-400m medley double and the 4x200m freestyle relay, all in world record time. AFP PHOTO / MARTIN BUREAU / FILES (Photo credit should read MARTIN BUREAU/AFP/Getty Images)

AFP/Getty Images

Australian swimmer's Eamon Sullivan (L) Lisbeth "Libby" Trickett (2nd L) Grant Hackett (2nd R) and Stephanie Rice (R) attend a photocall for the Speedo Athlete Media Day during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games on August 19, 2008. AFP PHOTO/TIMOTHY A. CLARY (Photo credit should read TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images)

AFP/Getty Images

Australian swimmer Stephanie Rice (L) and US winner of eight swimming gold medals Michael Phelps are pictured during a photocall for the Speedo Athlete Media Day during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games on August 19, 2008. AFP PHOTO/TIMOTHY A. CLARY (Photo credit should read TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images)

AFP/Getty Images

Rice is getting herself set for the world trials next month in Australia, avoiding going out and focusing strictly on training, even if nobody believes her.

"I haven't been out basically since Christmas and New Year, but I continue to be called a party girl and it's just gone too far now,'' Rice said.

"When I first saw the headlines calling me wild and a party animal, I just thought it was a bit over the top. But for it to continue when I'm back training and competing is untrue and it's got to the stage where enough is enough.''

Obviously the speculation that she has spent more time at bars and less time in the pool were fairly justified when she seemed winded and exhausted after three 200-meter races in the NSW Championships.

Rice almost collapsed with exhaustion following Sunday's program where she raced in three 200m events including a dramatic end to the 200m freestyle.

"I was spent and swallowed water nearing the end of the race and I just had this coughing attack,'' the world record holder said. "It was a full-on weekend of racing and by Sunday night I was exhausted and feeling the strain. I am far from being at my peak.''

Rice will have to battle more than just her image problems and her endurance during the time trials next month. A television scheduling glitch has put the 200-meter butterfly and the 400-meter individual medley just 25 minutes apart, giving swimmers basically no time to catch their breath if they want to race in both.

The Queenslanders face the dilemma of producing their best in the 200m butterfly and 400m individual medley with just 25 minutes rest between the two finals. It's a scheduling glitch that should not exist because the two finals are raced three days apart at the world titles in Rome.

If Rice could compete in both of those and even place, for heaven's sakes, then that would get rid of her party girl image in an instant.

Did You See That?

The field clears a fence during the New Season Handicap Steeplechase during the at Ludlow Racecourse on September 16, 2008 in Ludlow, England.

Emanuele Canonica of Italy helps his caddie in the rescue of a pigeon from the water around the 18th green during the first round of the Portugal Masters at the Oceanico Victoria Golf Course on October 16, 2008 in Vilamoura, Portugal.

A multiexposure image showing Britain's Andy Murray returning to Croatian Marin Cilic during a last sixteen tennis match at the Madrid Masters in Madrid on October 16, 2008. Andy Murray won 7-5, 7-6.

English football fans dressed in armours and tunics play in a friendly match against Belarus fans in Minsk on October 15, 2008 before the start of the Belarus vs. England 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifier of European group 6 match.

Travis Brigley (R) of Hamburg fights with Matt Keith (L) of Ingolstadt during the DEL match between Hamburg Freezers and ERC Ingolstadt at the Color Line Arena on October 14, 2008 in Hamburg, Germany.

Russian Nikolay Davydenko returns a ball to US Robby Ginepri during a second round tennis match at the Masters in Madrid on October 15, 2008.

A golf ball which has been enveloped by the tree over many years is pictured during the pro-am for the Portugal Masters at the Oceanico Victoria Golf Course on October 15, 2008 in Vilamoura, Portugal.

Andy Murray of Great Britain plays football during his training session prior to his thrid round match tomorrow at the Madrid Masters tennis tournament at the Madrid Arena on October 15, 2008 in Madrid, Spain.

Samuel Peter from Nigeria gets a punch from Vitali Klitschko of Ukraine during their WBC heavyweight boxing world championship fight in Berlin, Germany, Saturday, Oct. 11, 2008. Klitschko won the fight after round nine due to technical knock out.

Herbert Knosowski, AP

Japan's Kyoko Hamaguchi (lower) fights with China's Hong Yan (red) during the semi-final of the 72kg class of the Women's Wrestling World Championships in Tokyo on October 13, 2008. Hong defeated Hamaguchi and will face Bulgaria's Stanka Zlateva in the final.

Yoshikazu Tsuno, AFP/Getty Images

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)

2-19-2009 @ 1:31PM

Lordnice007 said...

She wasn't even that great in the pool. She succeeded against a relatively weak field. If she wants to be viewed differently, she must actively work to dispell her present image.She can't just sit back, party, show her true superficial self, wallow in her pseudo-celebrity then whine about observations made of her behavior.

2-19-2009 @ 3:31PM

justin said...

Shut up jerk shes a great swimmer,your just jealous.And shes a hottie want to now if shes single.Dont hate!!!!!!!!!

2-19-2009 @ 3:28PM

woodnnicholsla said...

hey spunky you are an idiot

2-19-2009 @ 7:31PM

dmainswo said...

I thought this was going to be about Bruce Jenner.

2-19-2009 @ 9:39PM

salogojr said...

dont be scurrrred girl, watever ur drinking IS making you better.smoke one too while ur at it.

2-19-2009 @ 10:47PM

rattlesnake2255 said...

FEED HER TO THE GIANT SNAKE! FEED HER TO THE GIANT SNAKE! lol :)

2-23-2009 @ 6:22AM

persiancatstoo said...

I thought all athletes were in training for Dancing With The Stars.

2-23-2009 @ 6:52AM

Pixie said...

To anyone who's criticizing her, i'd like to see YOU get in the pool and excell against the competition at the olympics. Until then, you have absolutely no right to call her any of the things you have. 'pseudo-celebrity'? Because yes, winning a gold metal at the WORLD OLYMPICS is such a silly, trivial reason to be in the media.

And furthermore, she's trying to dispell her image, as the article states.

2-23-2009 @ 2:17PM

somearered said...

right on! I agree all these people who have nothing but hostile comments should really shut up. If any of them win a gold medal for this country then maybe i would be interested to hear what they have to say. I am sick of hearing people who are jerk offs diss all of the gold medalists ...Instead of talking smack about the champions who deserve the right to have some fun anyway!!! who cares if they party... they deserve to have fun and celebrate. there are alot of judgemental hypcritical jerks who have nothing to say except to talk s!@# --

2-23-2009 @ 7:09AM

mrbills78 said...

Seems to me everyone here forgets what it's like to be a young person. How many of you dabbled in drugs, or got so drunk at a college party you couldn't walk? Wow a few hits or a couple shots. It's beacuse they are famous and you want them to set an example for your f-up kid. Guess what they are people and have the right to screw up just like you and me.

2-23-2009 @ 7:32AM

JOY said...

Please...give these ppl a break. Who cares even. I say legalize the pot and let their trainers take care of them....these are gold medal athletes who want a life of their own. If it takes booze and pot to make them more efficient swimmers than go for it....if not then maybe they will realize their own mistakes.

2-23-2009 @ 7:55AM

care4rfallen34 said...

I love that movie The Goonies. Especially the character Data who has all kinds of made up stuff in his trench coat. Pinchers of death, boxing glove, etc. That film will never die. I love it.

2-23-2009 @ 8:01AM

aLim3155 said...

hello! she has the right to party too coz she has those medals to be proud of, what about you, aside from reproving what medals in any competition did you ever win, NADAH!! so shutdaf......

2-23-2009 @ 8:29AM

Terry said...

Only a "Evangelical" rectal aperture would put down someone who can win a gold medal and still be cool enough to enjoy themselves.

2-23-2009 @ 8:37AM

david rogers said...

Jimmie Carter rocks,but Billie beer is bad

2-23-2009 @ 8:44AM

stateofitaly said...

They are all just a bunch of trash. They do it purposely just to get attention like a little kid. Know body is that stupid to take pictures of themselves while partying like that and expect it to not leak out. They should be kicked off of the team or out of the Olympics, whatever the case may be for acting so stupid. Triumph the Insult Dog should poop on their heads.

2-23-2009 @ 9:23AM

Jim said...

You just had to bring color into it. Your just stupid.

2-23-2009 @ 11:51AM

Duke said...

Stephanie Rice can party all she wants. I don't think there is anything wrong with the moniker of being called a party hard or party girl. It shows youthful, playful, energy and is a right of passage for youth. Nothing wrong with her. She still has earned her gold medals and has worked hard for them. She can play just as hard. It is great to have that kind of energy. You only go around once. The 20's are for partying. Embrace it and savor every moment of it.

2-23-2009 @ 9:45AM

pjgallo777 said...

LOL!!! where you so above your peers you did not party hardy. She is young and this is the time to party. But she is in the spot light so she is going to get all kinds of crap. so sad to bad. You wanted the lime light now deal with it.

2-23-2009 @ 9:54AM

clowns1116 said...

First of all,,LEAVE THESE PEOPLE ALONE!
Secondly,, were you not ever young?.. I seem to remember partying quite a bit myself..not that I partied because of peer pressure,,I parted,, because,,IT WAS FUN...