Olympic Swimmer Stephanie Rice Rebuilds Life at 38

At 38, former Olympic champion Stephanie Rice is proving it's never too late to start fresh.

The Australian swimmer who won three gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics has moved to Dubai, changed her name to Stephanie Lassey after marrying pastor Mark Lassey in January 2025, and launched a new career in business consulting. But this time, she's doing it all with faith as her foundation.

Rice retired from swimming in 2014 and openly struggled with mental health issues as her life perspective shifted. The athlete who once stood on podiums now faced the challenge of rebuilding her identity beyond the pool.

In 2023, she took a major step toward healing by appearing on Channel 7's SAS Australia. Midway through the grueling course, she declared she needed to finish for her own good, pushing through when things got tough.

Shortly after the show aired, Rice made a bold move. She bought a one-way ticket to Dubai and completely transformed her life.

Why This Inspires

Rice's journey shows that starting over isn't failure. It's courage. She's walked away from 140,000 Instagram followers to build a new account under her married name, focused on helping other women who feel stuck in cycles of starting over.

Her new business consulting services center on three pillars: faith, finances, and stewardship. "For the woman who knows she's capable of more and is sick of starting over," her biography reads.

In her first post on the fresh account, Rice wrote honestly about her path. "I've won Olympic gold. Made millions of dollars. Lost almost everything. Found Jesus. And now, at 38, I'm rebuilding my career all over again."

She and her husband now split their time between Dubai and Australia, where he continues his pastoral work. Rice has committed to sharing her journey transparently, hoping her story gives others hope.

"I pray that my story would give you hope that God has the power to turn lives around, to restore what's been broken and bless you above what you've asked thought or even imagined," she shared with her growing audience.

Rice admits the decision to start a new account felt partly crazy, but she'd rather connect with people who want to be part of the story being written now, not the one already told. Her openness about mental health, financial loss, and rebuilding resonates with women facing their own restart moments.

The Olympic champion who once defined herself by medals is now finding purpose in helping others rebuild their lives with intention and faith.