Aussie Olympics great Stephanie Rice reveals what she learned about herself when she took a DNA test – and which results she thinks are wrong
- Stephanie Rice took a DNA test
- She was surprised by some of the findings
- Rice is an Australian Olympic legend
Stephanie Rice shares how a recent DNA test was an eye-opener.
Swimming legend Rice, 36, is best known for her stunning performances at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where she won gold in the 200- and 400-meter medley events.
Rice has remained involved in the sport since retiring from swimming in 2014. He will be a commentator at this year’s Games in Paris.
And along with fellow legend Cathy Freeman, Rice took a DNA test to learn more about themselves.
Unsurprisingly, the test showed that she is competitive and better suited to individual sports such as swimming.
However, it turns out that Rice enjoys watching sports less than playing them. The 36-year-old, who enjoyed hockey and cycling as a child, can understand the findings.
I wonder because we [both] so focused on sports that we didn’t really get into it [watching sport] “From a hobby perspective, but saying there are so many athletes out there who just love sports and love watching sports,” Rice said, referring to Freeman’s results, which showed a similar mindset.
“But if we were on a trivia team, Cathy Freeman and I, we would just be the worst on the team because everyone would be like, ‘We’ve got Steph and Cathy, they know all the sports trivia.’ But if I wasn’t on that team at that moment, I wouldn’t have a clue.”
Stephanie Rice has revealed what she learned from a DNA test
The Olympic legend discovered more about himself
Rice recently revealed that she is in a relationship with Australian pastor Mark Lassey, a father of three, and he laughed when he saw her DNA results.
“That’s a no-brainer,” she said.
“I want to win, there’s a playfulness to it now… I’m not a big loser, but I’ve gotten better at it!” she laughed.
The test also showed that Rice is risk-averse and not a natural leader.
‘Taking risks is very interesting because when it comes to giving up and just seeing what’s possible, I like to take a big risk, try something new and step out of my comfort zone.
“But when it comes to physical risks, I’m totally risk averse. So if it’s a fear of heights or something scary, that’s not for me,” she said.
‘I didn’t have many friends at school and I struggled with bullying in primary school. Swimming, my environment, my competitiveness and the sense of confidence that comes with being good at something have trained me to be a leader.’