Oz Olympic glamour girl Stephanie Rice signs $800,000 deal with Channel Seven

Australian swimmer Stephanie Rice says having her world record broken has given her new motivation for the Olympic Games.

American Katie Hoff broke Rice's three-month old mark in the 400-metres individual medley at the US swimming trials last Monday.

Last night Rice overcame a back strain to easily win her heat at the Sydney grand prix event and will race in the final this morning.

Rice says it has been frustrating seeing the Americans in full race mode.

"It really motivated me seeing her swim the other night," she said.

"If anything that was really what I needed with this last three weeks to go - just some thing to push me on a bit further."

After seeing Hoff's race Rice says she now knows what she has to do to win gold in Beijing.

"It is definitely going to take a world record and I really think it is going to come down to a great race in the end," she said.

SydneyStephanie Rice, August 22: Aussie swimmer Stephanie Rice’s Olympic gold victory has apparently started to earn her moolah, for she has bagged a contract with Channel Seven.

The glamour girl’s two-year deal with the television network is estimated to be worth 800,000 dollars.

Rice, however, is said to have been pulled out of an expected appearance in a Channel Nine 60 minute Olympics special on the “heroes of Beijing”, scheduled for broadcast on Sunday, because it would clash with her Seven allegiance.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Seven is also said to have paid other athletes not to appear on the program.

The photogenic Brisbane swimmer has won three gold medals thus far.

Her personal life is as famous as her achievements in the water.

While photographs from her page were splashed across newspapers earlier this year, her well-publicised relationship with fellow swimmer Eamon Sullivan earned the pair an advertising deal with an underwear label.

Experts have predicted that Rice, who has been the most successful female swimmer at Beijing, may make up to 450,000 dollars per sponsorship deal. (ANI)