AAP
Stephanie Rice has become the first Australian to win swimming's 200m-400m medley double at the Olympics with another world record performance in Beijing.
The Queenslander won the 200IM to collect the nation's fourth gold medal at the pool and lowered her own world mark by almost half a second in the process with a time of 2 minutes 8.45 seconds.
Zimbabwe's Kirsty Coventry (2:08.59) and American Natalie Coughlin (2:10.34) collected silver and bronze respectively.
Rice had another stroke for stroke battle with Coventry before just overtaking and touching her out at the death.
Rice raised her arm in triumph after the race and celebrated in the pool by yelling out: "Yes!".
The result continued her stunning rise to the top of world swimming this year and showed her knack for lifting for the big occasion.
The Olympic debutant picked up Australia's first gold medal of the Games by winning the 400m medley in world record time on Sunday.
She completes her program with the women's 4x200m relay on Thursday morning.
Coughlin said the early pace in the race before Coventry took over in the second half and Rice came storming home at the end.
Making her swim all the more remarkable, Rice said she was still battling a sore throat.
"That was such a tough race and I really struggled getting into that race," she said.
"As I said yesterday, I wasn't feeling so great and I didn't really pull up any better this morning, which I was really disappointed with, but I'm so glad I could pull it out here this morning."
Rice said she ignored any thoughts of pressure from the high expectations of her.
"I think you only put the pressure on yourself and I was really just wanting to get the best out of myself," she said.
"I've trained so hard and I've done everything I can so I'm just happy to see the result in the end.
"I think when I qualified myself in that lane last night it was probably really good for me being next to Natalie Coughlin cause she takes it out so hard, she really pushed me though that first 100 metres."
Rice said she was overwhelmed by her gold medal double.
"It really hasn't sunk in but I know thinking about it later on - I'm just so happy to be here.
"I'm so happy."
Stephanie Rice has become the first Australian to win swimming's 200m-400m medley double at the Olympics with another world record performance in Beijing.
The Queenslander won the 200IM to collect the nation's fourth gold medal at the pool and lowered her own world mark by almost half a second in the process with a time of 2 minutes 8.45 seconds.
Zimbabwe's Kirsty Coventry (2:08.59) and American Natalie Coughlin (2:10.34) collected silver and bronze respectively.
Rice had another stroke for stroke battle with Coventry before just overtaking and touching her out at the death.
Rice raised her arm in triumph after the race and celebrated in the pool by yelling out: "Yes!".
The result continued her stunning rise to the top of world swimming this year and showed her knack for lifting for the big occasion.
The Olympic debutant picked up Australia's first gold medal of the Games by winning the 400m medley in world record time on Sunday.
She completes her program with the women's 4x200m relay on Thursday morning.
Coughlin said the early pace in the race before Coventry took over in the second half and Rice came storming home at the end.
Making her swim all the more remarkable, Rice said she was still battling a sore throat.
"That was such a tough race and I really struggled getting into that race," she said.
"As I said yesterday, I wasn't feeling so great and I didn't really pull up any better this morning, which I was really disappointed with, but I'm so glad I could pull it out here this morning."
Rice said she ignored any thoughts of pressure from the high expectations of her.
"I think you only put the pressure on yourself and I was really just wanting to get the best out of myself," she said.
"I've trained so hard and I've done everything I can so I'm just happy to see the result in the end.
"I think when I qualified myself in that lane last night it was probably really good for me being next to Natalie Coughlin cause she takes it out so hard, she really pushed me though that first 100 metres."
Rice said she was overwhelmed by her gold medal double.
"It really hasn't sunk in but I know thinking about it later on - I'm just so happy to be here.
"I'm so happy."
Yahoo7
