BEIJING - Three events, three gold medals and three world records. In her first Olympics, Stephanie Rice is already being labeled the female Phelps.
Rice led off Australia's record victory in the 800-meter freestyle relay Thursday to follow up her sweep of the 200 and 400 individual medleys.
(L-R) Stephanie Rice, Linda Mackenzie, Bronte Barratt and Kylie Palmer of Australia pose with their gold medals after winning the women's 4x200m freestyle relay swimming final at the National Aquatics Center during the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games August 14, 2008. [Agencies] |
"It's so exciting. It's me and Bronte's (Barratt) last swim, and what a great way to finish - with a gold medal and a world record," Rice said, sporting green earrings to match Australia's colors. "For us to break the record by so far is amazing."
With Barratt swimming the second leg, followed by Kylie Palmer and Linda Mackenzie in the anchor position, the Aussies obliterated the Americans' old mark by almost six seconds.
"It's pretty amazing. It was a great opportunity to swim with these girls, and even better because we're all from Queensland," Palmer said. "I haven't been around too long, and I didn't know how big a deal it was. I just wanted to do the best I could. It hasn't all sunk in yet."
"The Australian team is amazing and I'm so happy to be a part of it," the 20-year-old Rice said. "We went in knowing we had a really good chance. I wasn't as nervous this time. I was trying to enjoy the moment. I've never led off a relay before."
The Americans had won the event all three times since it was added to the Olympic program in 1996, but they were no match for the blazing Aussies this time.
Katie Hoff, who swam the anchor leg for the Americans, was being tapped as the female Phelps before the games, and she has three medals too - only none of them gold - and two fourth places.
Michael Phelps still has three events to go, and he already has five golds in all five of his events.
Rice has outpaced her boyfriend - or ex-boyfriend - Eamon Sullivan, who finished second to Alain Bernard in the 100 freestyle Thursday.
The couple posed in a widely publicized underwear shoot earlier this year, then announced last month that they were separating by changing their relationship entries on the social Web site, Facebook.
"We both mutually agreed that being together is something that probably won't work during this month, and decided to have a break," Sullivan said at Australia's pre-Olympic camp.
Asked about Rice's performance Thursday, Sullivan said: "Anyone that can win three golds is amazing."
Another Australian favorite, Jessicah Schipper, also came up short Thursday, with the world-record holder settling for bronze in the 200 butterfly. Brenton Rickard provided a surprise for the Dolphins by taking the silver in the 200 breaststroke.
Schipper plans on sitting in the stands for the rest of the games.
"I'm really looking forward to sitting back and cheering for the Aussies," she said.
Rice, Bronte Barratt, Kylie Palmer and Linda Mackenzie touched in 7 minutes, 44.31 seconds Thursday, lowering the old mark of 7:50.09 set by the US at last year's World Championships in Australia.
Rice earned her third gold medal of these Games, having swept both individual medleys with world-record times.
The Chinese team of Yang Yu, Zhu Qianwei, Tan Miao and Pang Jiaying took the silver in 7:45.93.
The US team of Allison Schmitt, Natalie Coughlin, Caroline Burckle and Katie Hoff earned the bronze in 7:46.33, the first time the Americans have lost the event since it began in 1996.
Hoff, who had hoped for a breakout Olympics here, instead has been shut out of gold medals. She failed to win a medal in either of her individual events Wednesday and now has a silver and two bronze medals in five events.
