Stephanie Rice Wants You to Stop Calling Her a Party Girl

Michael Phelps isn't the only Olympian to be pinned as a partier after having success at the Beijing Olympics. Stephanie Rice, three-time 2008 gold medalist in the 200-meter, 400-meter and 4 x 200 relay, has been labeled a party girl in her home country of Australia and is trying to shake the image, saying she has avoided knocking back shots since the new year.

Stephanie Rice Snapshots

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 31: Actress Rachael Taylor (R) and Australian Olympic gold medallist Stephanie Rice attend the women's final match between Serena Williams of the United States of America and Dinara Safina of Russia during day thirteen of the 2009 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 31, 2009 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Stephanie Rice;Rachael Taylor

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MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 31: Actress Rachael Taylor and Australian Olympic gold medallist Stephanie Rice attend the women's final match between Serena Williams of the United States of America and Dinara Safina of Russia during day thirteen of the 2009 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 31, 2009 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Rachael Taylor;Stephanie Rice

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(FILES) Gold medalist from Australia Stephanie Rice claims victory after the women's 400m individual medley swimming final at the National Aquatics Center druing the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games on August 10, 2008 in Beijing. Triple Olympic gold medallist Stephanie Rice was named Australia's Swimmer of the Year at a function here on October 27, 2008. Rice, 20, was Australia's outstanding swimmer at the Beijing Olympics last August, winning the 200-400m medley double and the 4x200m freestyle relay, all in world record time. AFP PHOTO / TIMOTHY CLARY / FILES (Photo credit should read TIM CLARY/AFP/Getty Images)

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(FILES) Australia's Stephanie Rice takes of her cap after victory in the women's 400m individual medley swimming final at the National Aquatics Center in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games on August 10, 2008 in Beijing. Triple Olympic gold medallist Stephanie Rice was named Australia's Swimmer of the Year at a function here on October 27, 2008. Rice, 20, was Australia's outstanding swimmer at the Beijing Olympics last August, winning the 200-400m medley double and the 4x200m freestyle relay, all in world record time. AFP PHOTO / FRANCOIS-XAVIER MARIT / FILES (Photo credit should read FRANCOIS XAVIER MARIT/AFP/Getty Images)

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(FILES) Australian swimmer Stephanie Rice arrives for a promotional event to celebrate the end of the Olympic swimming programme, in Beijing on August 17, 2008. Triple Olympic gold medallist Stephanie Rice was named Australia's Swimmer of the Year at a function here on October 27, 2008. Rice, 20, was Australia's outstanding swimmer at the Beijing Olympics last August, winning the 200-400m medley double and the 4x200m freestyle relay, all in world record time. AFP PHOTO / Mark RALSTON / FILES (Photo credit should read MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images)

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(FILES) Australia's Stephanie Rice waves after the women's 400m individual medley swimming final at the National Aquatics Center in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games on August 10, 2008 in Beijing. Triple Olympic gold medallist Stephanie Rice was named Australia's Swimmer of the Year at a function here on October 27, 2008. Rice, 20, was Australia's outstanding swimmer at the Beijing Olympics last August, winning the 200-400m medley double and the 4x200m freestyle relay, all in world record time. AFP PHOTO / MARTIN BUREAU / FILES (Photo credit should read MARTIN BUREAU/AFP/Getty Images)

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Australian swimmer's Eamon Sullivan (L) Lisbeth "Libby" Trickett (2nd L) Grant Hackett (2nd R) and Stephanie Rice (R) attend a photocall for the Speedo Athlete Media Day during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games on August 19, 2008. AFP PHOTO/TIMOTHY A. CLARY (Photo credit should read TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images)

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Australian swimmer Stephanie Rice (L) and US winner of eight swimming gold medals Michael Phelps are pictured during a photocall for the Speedo Athlete Media Day during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games on August 19, 2008. AFP PHOTO/TIMOTHY A. CLARY (Photo credit should read TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images)

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Rice is getting herself set for the world trials next month in Australia, avoiding going out and focusing strictly on training, even if nobody believes her.

"I haven't been out basically since Christmas and New Year, but I continue to be called a party girl and it's just gone too far now,'' Rice said.

"When I first saw the headlines calling me wild and a party animal, I just thought it was a bit over the top. But for it to continue when I'm back training and competing is untrue and it's got to the stage where enough is enough.''

Obviously the speculation that she has spent more time at bars and less time in the pool were fairly justified when she seemed winded and exhausted after three 200-meter races in the NSW Championships.

Rice almost collapsed with exhaustion following Sunday's program where she raced in three 200m events including a dramatic end to the 200m freestyle.

"I was spent and swallowed water nearing the end of the race and I just had this coughing attack,'' the world record holder said. "It was a full-on weekend of racing and by Sunday night I was exhausted and feeling the strain. I am far from being at my peak.''

Rice will have to battle more than just her image problems and her endurance during the time trials next month. A television scheduling glitch has put the 200-meter butterfly and the 400-meter individual medley just 25 minutes apart, giving swimmers basically no time to catch their breath if they want to race in both.

The Queenslanders face the dilemma of producing their best in the 200m butterfly and 400m individual medley with just 25 minutes rest between the two finals. It's a scheduling glitch that should not exist because the two finals are raced three days apart at the world titles in Rome.

If Rice could compete in both of those and even place, for heaven's sakes, then that would get rid of her party girl image in an instant.

Did You See That?

The field clears a fence during the New Season Handicap Steeplechase during the at Ludlow Racecourse on September 16, 2008 in Ludlow, England.

Emanuele Canonica of Italy helps his caddie in the rescue of a pigeon from the water around the 18th green during the first round of the Portugal Masters at the Oceanico Victoria Golf Course on October 16, 2008 in Vilamoura, Portugal.

A multiexposure image showing Britain's Andy Murray returning to Croatian Marin Cilic during a last sixteen tennis match at the Madrid Masters in Madrid on October 16, 2008. Andy Murray won 7-5, 7-6.

English football fans dressed in armours and tunics play in a friendly match against Belarus fans in Minsk on October 15, 2008 before the start of the Belarus vs. England 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifier of European group 6 match.

Travis Brigley (R) of Hamburg fights with Matt Keith (L) of Ingolstadt during the DEL match between Hamburg Freezers and ERC Ingolstadt at the Color Line Arena on October 14, 2008 in Hamburg, Germany.

Russian Nikolay Davydenko returns a ball to US Robby Ginepri during a second round tennis match at the Masters in Madrid on October 15, 2008.

A golf ball which has been enveloped by the tree over many years is pictured during the pro-am for the Portugal Masters at the Oceanico Victoria Golf Course on October 15, 2008 in Vilamoura, Portugal.

Andy Murray of Great Britain plays football during his training session prior to his thrid round match tomorrow at the Madrid Masters tennis tournament at the Madrid Arena on October 15, 2008 in Madrid, Spain.

Samuel Peter from Nigeria gets a punch from Vitali Klitschko of Ukraine during their WBC heavyweight boxing world championship fight in Berlin, Germany, Saturday, Oct. 11, 2008. Klitschko won the fight after round nine due to technical knock out.

Herbert Knosowski, AP

Japan's Kyoko Hamaguchi (lower) fights with China's Hong Yan (red) during the semi-final of the 72kg class of the Women's Wrestling World Championships in Tokyo on October 13, 2008. Hong defeated Hamaguchi and will face Bulgaria's Stanka Zlateva in the final.

Yoshikazu Tsuno, AFP/Getty Images