Stephanie Rice changes name, starts new life after ‘losing almost everything’
Updated . First published at
Olympic swimmer Stephanie Rice has spoke of her decision to start over at age 38 after reaching what she described as her lowest point in life.
The three-time gold medallist, who packed up her life in Australia for Dubai in 2023, has revealed she has taken on her husband Mark Lassey’s last name in an emotional statement that introduced her “new name” and new Instagram account.
Stephanie Rice, now Stephanie Lassey, has opened up about the lowest points in her life. Instagram/@stephanie.lassey
“Feels like the perfect time to start a fresh account, in my new name, and with a new commitment to sharing the journey God is taking me on,” wrote Rice now under the name Stephanie Lassey.
“Probably part crazy to be walking away from 140,000 people,” she said of hundreds of thousands current followers online.
“But honestly I’d rather start again knowing the people joining now want to be apart of the story God is [writing], not the one that’s already been written, even if that’s just a small amount.”
The 13-slide post captured the highs and lows in the retired athlete’s recent years, from Olympic success to marrying a pastor, and walking away from her career – perhaps the biggest turning point in her life.
Read more
Beach Boys frontman Mike Love facing ‘serious health challenges’ but insists on being on-stage
“I’ve won Olympic gold. Made millions of dollars, lost almost everything. Found Jesus,” the Aussie captioned one image.
She spoke of having “big dreams” as a child and achieving those dream after finding “fame, money success and recognition” from her Olympic success.
“On the outside, I had it all,” she wrote. “But somewhere along the way, I started tying value to my success.”
The star is “transitioning” to a new social account dedicated to “the woman who knows she’s capable of more and is sick of starting over”. Instagram/@stephanie.lassey
After retiring from professional swimming in 2014, the athlete managed her own sponsorships, endorsements and motivational speaking career for years.
She, however, admitted to crumbling under the weight of “public scrutiny, hate comments, legal battles and failed businesses” that kept “breaking” her faith.
At her “lowest and completely exhausted” self, the athlete found Christianity. She left everything behind in Australia, met her future husband is now “a pastor’s wife”.
Rice and Lassey were romantically linked for 10 months before they wed in 2025. Instagram/@itsstephrice
But, after embarking on a career change she was offered her dream position as a CEO. The star turned it down, after revealing “God asked me to resign”.
“I’m back at zero,” the Olympian admitted. “It’s been one of the most testing seasons of my life.”
Under the new account, Stephanie Lassey wrote she was “rebuilding at 38”.
“But this time, with Jesus at the centre of it all,” she wrote committed to sharing her journey with her new followers online.
Rice first met her husband Pastor Mark Lassey in February 2024. By January 2025, the couple were married. Instagram/@itsstephrice
“I love you all, thank you for your support. May God bless you abundantly.”
The statement comes months after the Aussie Olympian’s return to social media following a one-year hiatus.
She decided to take a break from all platforms after she married Lassey in early 2025 and moved to Dubai.
The star married the father-of-three after a 10-month romance.
