Three-time Olympic gold medallist brings elite swim training to Dubai
Stephanie Rice joins My Sports Academy as UAE demand for swimming grows
DUBAI – My Sports Academy (MSA), one of the UAE’s most respected swimming organisations, has announced a landmark collaboration with Australian Olympic champion and world record holder Stephanie Rice, who now calls Dubai home.
The three-time Olympic gold medallist will lead the region’s most comprehensive swimming programmes, designed to save lives through water safety, build confidence through learn-to-swim education, and nurture future champions through performance excellence across all ages.
This partnership brings together MSA’s 14 years of regional expertise with Rice’s elite-level insight, offering families and schools in Dubai access to world-class swimming development.
My Swim Club
The initiative, known as My Swim Club, aims to deliver a transformative experience for young learners and aspiring athletes, ensuring that swimming becomes a vital life skill as well as a pathway to competitive success.
Rice expressed her enthusiasm for the project, highlighting her own childhood experiences with high-standard swim education in Australia. “From a very young age, I knew I wanted to be an Olympic swimmer, and I will always be grateful to have grown up in a country with some of the world’s highest standards of learn-to-swim programmes. So I’m thrilled to be supporting MSA’s programme here in Dubai, the place I now call home, as the quality of their programme reflects the same teaching standards I was fortunate to grow up with. My hope is that your children benefit from the same high-quality swim education, whether they dream of becoming Olympic champions or simply want to enjoy the city’s wonderful beaches and pools with peace of mind,” she said.
Rice will play an active role in supporting coaches and shaping curriculum development across multiple MSA venues and leading schools in Dubai. These include Dubai British School (Barsha & Mira), Jumeirah Baccalaureate School (Al Wasl), The English College (Umm Suqeim & Mira), and Brighton College (Al Barsha South). Each location will offer tailored programmes suited to every stage of a swimmer’s journey, ensuring participants gain water safety knowledge while also having the chance to progress to advanced levels of performance.
Dimitrije Didic, Head Coach at MSA, welcomed Rice’s involvement. “Having three-time Olympic champion Stephanie Rice involved brings elite-level experience and a fresh perspective to our squads. As Head Coach at MSC, I’m extremely excited to collaborate with her this season. Our pathway is designed to develop both performance and character, while nurturing a lifelong love for the sport at every level,” he said.
Swimming demand in UAE
Swimming has become increasingly popular across the UAE, boosted by year-round sunshine, luxury developments, and expanding leisure facilities. The rise of 24/7 night-swimming beaches, high-profile international events, and water parks has complemented a growing emphasis on wellness and active lifestyles. At the same time, the government’s sustained focus on tourism and real estate development has spurred demand for swimming pools in resorts, hotels, and residential communities.
Despite these positive developments, water safety remains a pressing issue. The World Health Organization ranks drowning among the leading causes of accidental death worldwide, a statistic that also resonates in the UAE. These realities highlight the dual challenge of meeting a growing appetite for swimming while ensuring that life-saving skills and safety awareness are embedded into community life.
Raising standards
My Sports Academy (MSA) has already established a strong reputation for success, securing victories such as the Dubai Open 2024/25. With Rice now at the helm of its new programmes, the Academy is setting a fresh benchmark for swimming education in the Middle East. Beyond producing competitive athletes, the initiative seeks to empower children of all backgrounds to approach the water with confidence, skill, and enjoyment.
For families in Dubai, the presence of an Olympic champion leading one of the region’s most trusted academies adds significant momentum to the country’s mission of building a vibrant swimming culture, blending international expertise with local growth.