Stephanie Rice has resurfaced online following a year-long absence and made a surprising personal update.
The former Olympic swimmer, 38, shared a clip to social media on Wednesday night, in which she told fans she was in a great headspace following some significant life changes.
‘A year ago I had a full-time corporate job, two consulting projects and two brand partnerships. Today I have no job, no projects and no partnerships… and honestly, I’m more excited than ever!’ Steph began.
‘Let me bring you up to speed on what I have been up to the past 18 months, and why I have taken a year off posting.’
The Brisbane-born athlete added that she had ‘stretched’ herself thin over the past year due to taking on too many commitments, so now she had shifted her priorities to ensure she put herself and her family first.
‘In the space of a year, I got married, had my honeymoon, moved my husband to Dubai, set up our life here… banks, rentals, visas, all of those. Honestly, last year I felt really stretched!’ she added.
Stephanie Rice has resurfaced online following a year-long absence and made a surprising personal update, revealing she is thrilled to be unemployed after quitting her 20-year business
‘I was at the top of my capacity. I really wanted to do everything well, there was so much to do… I was navigating everything in real time.’
She added that the strong Christian faith she shares with her pastor husband Mark Lassey was part of what had helped her go back online and once again interact with her followers.
‘Since the start of the year, God has really been speaking to me about sharing again. I don’t just want to share the highlights, I want to share the real-time faith journey. The up and the downs… such a rollercoaster!’ Steph said.
‘Right now I have no source of income. Even though there are a lot of unknowns, I feel more excited than ever before!’
The post was Steph’s first public life update since she tied the knot with her partner Mark Lassey in January 2025, following a whirlwind ten-month romance.
The former Olympic swimmer took to Instagram to reveal that she exchanged vows with the Aussie pastor, 47, during a vineyard ceremony in his native Perth.
The couple met at the start of 2024 and got engaged in September after seven months of dating.
For the ceremony, Steph looked every inch the blushing bride in a gorgeous strapless satin gown which featured a long train that billowed out behind her.
The former Olympic swimmer shared a clip to social media on Wednesday night, in which she told fans she was in a great headspace following some significant life changes
She added that the strong Christian faith she shares with her pastor husband Mark Lassey was part of what had helped her go back online and once again interact with her followers
The couple shared a video documenting the moment they were declared a married couple.
In the footage, they beamed with joy as they stood holding hands at the outdoor altar which sat underneath a natural green vine pergola.
In an accompanying caption, Steph shared her excitement over starting off her married life with Mark in Dubai, where they plan to live together.
Three-time Olympic gold medallist Stephanie joined the church when she relocated to Dubai late last year and is now heavily involved with Kingdom City.
Mark is a pastor with the same organisation in Perth and has been with the church for more than 10 years, according to his LinkedIn profile.
Their wedding came after a whirlwind ten months of dating after they were first introduced by a mutual friend at the start of 2024.
Mark is a father to three sons – Tyler, Joel and Luke – from a previous relationship.
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