Rice listed in Australia’s top 100 Olympians

The gongs just keep coming for Stephanie Rice. The glamour girl of Australian sport has been named in the nation’s top 100 Olympians of all time in a list compiled by the Australian Olympic Committee’s esteemed historian Harry Gordon.

The eye-catching medley swimmer has rocketed to stardom this year on the back of her stunning deeds in the pool that culminated in her three gold medals at the Beijing Olympics.

The 20-year-old was joined on the list by fellow Beijing champions such as diver Matthew Mitcham, triathlete Emma Snowsill, pole vaulter Steve Hooker and kayaker Ken Wallace.

Rice’s swimming teammates Libby Trickett and Leisel Jones also made the cut.

The top 100 was picked from the 3,367 athletes that have competed for Australia at the Olympics and comes three years after Gordon listed the nation’s top 50.

His updated version includes 35 swimmers and 16 from track and field.

The fairer sex accounted for 38 per cent of the list - a percentage which he said: “Reflects fairly accurately the role women have played in our Olympic past.”

He pointed out that women had won 40 per cent of Australia’s 138 summer and winter gold medals.

“They had a late entry to the Games (1912 against 1896 for the men), and were the victims of considerable prejudice, from some administrators and selectors, until the second half of the 20th century,” he said.

The list marked the centenary of the gold-medal victory of the Australian rugby union team at the 1908 London Games.

It is spread across 21 disciplines of sport and was selected “on the basis that they demonstrate best the achievements, history and diversity of our Olympians.”

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