The ex-golden couple of Eamon Sullivan and Stephanie Rice from star-studded Australian swimming team sat side by side?in Beijing?on Tuesday to visualize their races in Beijing separately.
"Anyone in the semifinals and finals could be a threat. There is definitely no one I'm targeting as a particular threat," answered sprinter Sullivan for his first question at the Australian swimming team's press conference which assembled six world record holders from the swimming powerhouse.
At the 2004 Games in Athens, Olympic rookie Sullivan swam in the final of the 4x100-meter freestyle relay when Australia finished sixth. Now, the 22-year-old came to Beijing as the world record holder in the 50-meter freestyle and also a great contender in the 100-meter race.
Several minutes ago when the group of swimmers just came in and sat down, Sullivan happily talked with his ex-girlfriend Rice who was seated on his right side.
"I'm really looking forward to racing all the competitors, not only Katie Hoff, but also Kirsty Coventry and Hannah Miley. I will try to reach my personal best and to enjoy the special moment." The Olympic debutant Rice talked about her expectation in the 400-meter individual medley.
Rice was for a time the world record holder of the 400-meter individual medley this year but then rendered it to American prodigy Katie Hoff.
Just ahead of the Olympic Games, Sullivan and Rice split up for focusing on their races in Beijing. "We are still good friends," insisted Sullivan after casting eyes on a smiling Rice.
Talking about the surprisingly falls of the world records in the men's sprint events, Sullivan believed it was he and French giant Alain Bernard's rivalry that pushed the world marks moving on.
"We push each other to find a new way to race and will push each other for a long time."
As for Rice, she also didn't mind being compared with Hoff so often.
"Kate is an amazing athlete. I have never really got the chance to compete against her when both of us are in our best form. I hope at the end of the day, both of us get the best out ourselves." The world record holder of the 200-meter individual medley said.
Since swimmers are prone to be celebrities in Australia, Rice also wanted to make sure that becoming one of them wouldn't drag her done.
"It's all really new to me. I'm just trying to enjoy it and not to think too much of it. when I'm at the pool, that's my main focus, and would not be driven by what the media does."
(Xinhua News Agency August 6, 2008)