Super Stephanie On Top Of The World

Sun Herald

Sunday March 23, 2008

By Michael Cowley and wires

GLAMOUR girl Stephanie Rice came from the clouds to obliterate the world record in the 400-metre individual medley at the Olympic trials last night.

In a big night for Australia's women swimmers, Emily Seebohm also broke the world record in the non-Olympic 50m backstroke, touching the wall in 27.95 seconds to shave 0.05s off American Hayley McGregory's mark.

Rice, 19, joined her boyfriend Eamon Sullivan as a record breaker by setting the mark of four minutes, 31.46 seconds - some 1.43s faster than American star Katie Hoff.

The Queenslander chopped almost six seconds off her best time to become the new favourite for the event at this year's Beijing Olympics.

The outgoing Rice couldn't contain herself after seeing the time.

"I think I swore and I thought 'Oh, I should not have said that' - but I was so in shock," she said.

"I saw my time and I saw 4:31 because 4:37 was my best time but I did not think I would go that fast."

Rice, a bronze medallist at last year's world championships in the event, welcomed the pressure that would come her way as she produced the seventh world record this year - all in the new Speedo LZR Racer.

"[Coach Michael] Bohl said we don't want to be breaking world records here and I have done exactly the same thing as Eamon," she said.

"I have stirred it up and the pressure is on us now but I can take that, a world record has been my dream and I'm so glad that I got it."

Promising 17-year-old Samantha Hamill also earned Olympic selection by coming second in 4:41.61.

Last night also marked the renaissance of Grant Hackett, who proved that hopes of a 400m-1500m double in China are alive and kicking.

The Australian team captain is not only headed to his third Olympics, but showed his rivals should dismiss him at their own peril.

It was March last year when Hackett produced one of his worst meetings. Not only did his 10-year undefeated reign in 1500m finals end, but he was languishing in seventh spot and suddenly questions were being raised over his future.

But Hackett never had any intention of pulling the plug on the pool. He was determined to get back to his best and last night at Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre he showed he can still swim fast.

In winning the 400m freestyle final in 3:43.15 Hackett posted a time faster than that Korean Park Tae Hwan swam to win the word title in Melbourne last year.

Hackett's time is the fastest swum in the event since he went 3:42.91 at the 2005 Montreal world titles, and is not too far away from the personal best of 3:42.51 he swam back in 2001.

"That's just half a second off my best time ever," Hackett said. "To do that sort of swim here at the trials it's exciting and I'm just really bloody happy to swim fast again.

"It's so close to [3:42s] as well, you almost go 'damn', but it's relieving in some sense to see that time again and like I said, it's good to swim fast again and now I can capitalise on that base, that foundation that I've built, and really move forward from here.

"I think that's the fastest time in the past few years so I'm definitely in the mix [for Beijing]. Guys like Park, he's going to improve and he will be down there. But I'm not going to focus on those guys or worry about it, I'm just going to focus on where I can go and where I can take my swimming."

Just as it was four years ago, Hackett was first and Craig Stevens second - posting a personal best time of 3:46.64 - but unlike back then, there was no controversy.

In 2004 Ian Thorpe fell into the pool during the heats and was disqualified. Stevens made the team in his place and later gave his spot in the event to Thorpe who would go on and win gold in Greece.

There is no Thorpe now so Stevens can have a relaxing week thinking about another Olympic appearance, instead of having to avoid the media pestering him about whether he would surrender the spot.

"There was a bit of ducking and weaving and getting out of the way in 2004," Stevens said. "It's a different situation I guess, and Ian sent me a text yesterday and wished me all the best.

"For me to come out and swim a PB shows everything is going well and things are on track."

Australian head coach Alan Thompson never doubted his captain would be back, saying he knew he would be motivated by those disappointing performances.

© 2008 Sun Herald

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