Stephanie Rice sets world record in 400m Individual Medley

Stephanie Rice of Australia smashed the world record by 1.67 seconds to win the gold medal in the final of the women's 400m Individual Medley in a time of 4:29.45, on August 10, 2008. She had worn green earrings during the swim as seen in the photos below.


(Photo credit: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Rice took the field well under world record pace, establishing a good lead. Kirsty Coventry of Zimbabwe had a big Backstroke leg and ate into Rice's lead but the Australian once again asserted her dominance and swam away from a tiring Coventry in the final freestyle leg to record a comfortable win.



Rice, who holds the 200m Individual Medley world record, also held the world record for this event earlier this year until Hoff broke it in July.

Coventry, swimming from lane one, won the silver medal in a time of 4:29.89, also under Katie Hoff's (USA) old world record time.

Hoff couldn't match the feats of her teammate Phelps only a few minutes earlier, and finished third for the Bronze medal in a time of 4:31.71.

Hoff, world record holder and 2007 world champion, never seemed to get into the race and couldn't match Rice's early speed.



Rice will now turn her attention to the women's 200m Individual Medley in which she is the world record holder and also the hot favorite!