Could Rice be Australia’s greatest swimmer?

 

Roar Rookie

By Mohammed Patel, 18 Aug 2008 Mohammed Patel is a Roar Rookie

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 Beijing, Beijing 2008, Beijing Olympics, hero, Ian Thorpe, Olympian, Olympics, Rice, Stephanie Rice, swimming, thorpe

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Stephanie Rice flew into Beijing not knowing what to expect at the Olympics. She certainly didn’t expect to win gold. But as the 20-year-old leaves with three gold medals, could she be on her way to becoming Australia’s greatest Olympian…ever?

Rice’s career is young, and with discipline, motivation and a little luck, the ‘glamour girl’ could see herself achieving the feat.

In her first Olympic campaign, Rice’s three gold medals will give her the inspiration she will need to push herself beyond her limits.

It won’t be a piece of cake (and it’s easier said than done), but Rice is already half way there.

If the Brisbanite can continue improve her fitness, she could extend her golden tally to five or six in the 2012 London games.

But that is four years away, and a lot can change in the space of four years.

Ian Thorpe, Australia’s greatest Olympian was destined to extend his golden medal tally in Beijing this year.

But following a break from swimming after the 2004 games, the five-time Olympic gold medallist was never able to recover (due to bad luck and sickness) and went into retirement.

We can only wonder as to how well the Aussie hero would have done had things ended up differently.
But that’s life – this is the real world, and only time will tell how well Stephanie Rice will do in future games.

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Photo by Circe’s Wisdom

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