Australia's Olympic debutant Stephanie Rice beat top favorite U.S. swimmer Katie Hoff in the women's 400 meter individual medley, pocketing her first Olympic gold Sunday with an astonishing new world record.

Rice led all the way to the finish in four minutes 29.45 seconds, shaving 1.67 seconds off the previous world record set by Hoff in the U.S. swimming trials in June.

Zimbabwean veteran Kirsty Conventry also broke the world record and won a silver in 4:29.89. World record holder Hoff seemed to have once again succumbed to nerves and was almost 2.26 seconds behind Rice, settling for a bronze.

Rice was overexcited with the new feat. "I thought off when I turned around, then thinking it hurts a lot for (four minutes and) 31 (seconds). But when I knew its (four minutes and ) 29 ( seconds) I thought it's amazing. I hasn't sunk in yet. I thought no one could go under (four minuets and ) 30 (seconds)."

Racing against Hoff has apparently pushed Rice faster. "I know I go out hard in the first 200 meters because butterfly and backstroke are my best strokes. I knew Hoff is an amazing breaststroker. So I got a lot of confidence turning at the end of the breaststroke knowing that I was in the lead."

"It's the first time I've been able to race against Katie Hoff and Kirsty Coventry, but I tried not to think about any times and just swim my race."

Hoff, dubbed "female Michael Phelps" for her outstanding performance in multiple events, failed to present a golden performance Sunday.

Hoff said she was not surprised at how her competitors improved their times. "Anyone can work hard and drop times," she said. With a smile to disguise her disappointment, Hoff said she was little tired but happy to get her first ever Olympic medal.

The 19-year-old from the same North Baltimore club that produced Phelps earned a spot in five individual races and at least one relay. Four years ago, Hoff made her Olympic debut as the youngest U.S. swimmer, but she was so unnerved that she vomited on the pool deck and didn't make the 400 IM final.

The oldest among the eight swimmers whose average age is under 20, Conventry was not seen among the favorites when she entered the final as the lane one swimmer.

"Ironically I won my first medal in Athens in lane 1 in the 100 m backstorke, and here I won in lane 1 too," said Coventry, laughing happily.

"I'm just so excited about the time. Stephanie was just a little bit better. But it's exciting to be on the podium. And to be under the old world record, that just tops it off," said Conventry, who won three medals in Athens including one gold.

Fifthteen-year-old U.S. swimmer Elizabeth Beisel, ranking first in Saturday's heats, was placed fourth. China's Olympic debutant, 14-year-old Li Xuanxu, was placed last.

(Xinhua News Agency August 10, 2008)