Jones slams 'bitchy' Rice in new book

Olympic swimming great Leisel Jones has slammed former best friend Stephanie Rice and her "bitchy behaviour" in the explosive tell-all book Body Lengths.

Jones revealed the moment when a close friendship erupted into a bitter feud during the lead-up to the last Games in London.

Jones, in nine-time Olympic medallist, claims she confronted Rice after the former teammate allegedly became the "ringleader" of "hurtful behaviour".

"'Ricey?' I start. 'What the hell is your problem with me … I've heard you're spreading rumours behind my back," Jones wrote in excerpts published by News Limited.

"What is your problem? What is it? I'm not competing against you.

"I've done nothing to upset you. I'm not threat to you in any way. We don’t like the same boys, don't swim in the same races.

"So what is it? Do you just not like me? Do I annoy you? Is that it? Well, that's fine. But for God's sake just leave me alone."

But according to Jones, three-time Olympic gold medallist Rice had little to say in the face of the accusations.

"She looked everywhere in the room except at my face. 'Huh? What do you mean?' she asks impassively. Apparently she has no recollection of the past few months, no memory of making comments to the other girls about my weight, my clothes, the way I walk or the way I swim," Jones wrote.

"She can't remember bitching to my coaches about me or reporting on what I've eaten that day. What, she thinks I'm stupid? She thinks I don't hear? Yeah, it's small scale, petty stuff, but it's not what being in a team is about.

"I say all this to her and she leaves in a huff. But she cannot look me in the eye when she does."