Stephanie Rice has announced she is engaged to her boyfriend Mark Lassey after seven months of dating.
The swimming legend, 36, took to Instagram on Thursday to confirm the jovial news, just weeks after first going public with her and Mark’s romance in July.
She shared an array of sweet snaps of the moment pastor and Aussie father-of-three Mark popped the question at Dubai’s luxury Atlantis The Royal hotel.
The couple, who met around seven months ago, looked overjoyed as they beamed from ear-to-ear and shared a kiss, while Stephanie flashed her diamond sparkler.
Stephanie looked effortlessly glamorous in a gorgeous white floral dress and strapped heels during the picture-perfect outdoor hotel proposal.
She accentuated her stunning features with a high-glamour make-up palette and looked happier than ever as she cuddled up to her new fiancé.
Mark cut a dapper figure in a white shirt, cream trousers and a black blazer as he presented Stephanie with a diamond ring from Perth’s Charles Edward Jewellers.
The newly-engaged couple packed on the PDA as they shared a romantic kiss after Mark popped the big question.
Stephanie Rice has announced she is engaged to her boyfriend Mark Lassey after seven months of dating
The swimming legend, 36, took to Instagram on Thursday to confirm the jovial news, just weeks after first going public with her and Mark’s romance in July
She shared an array of sweet snaps of the moment pastor and Aussie father-of-three Mark popped the question at Dubai ‘s luxury Atlantis The Royal hotel
In a caption, Stephanie gushed: ‘Here’s to fresh starts and second chances… Yes to a lifetime with you.’
She concluded the post with a Bible verse, writing: ”’Seek your happiness in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desire.” Psalm 37:4.’
Their engagement comes just weeks after Stephanie first went public with their romance in an Instagram post at the start of July.
Stephanie had been quietly dating the Australian pastor for five months before officially confirming their romance.
They were introduced through a mutual friend and then started a long-distance romance as Mark is based in Perth while Stephanie moved to Dubai in November.
‘When we met almost 5 months ago, we both knew this was different,’ she gushed in an Instagram post alongside cosy snaps of herself and Mark.
‘From the start, there was a deep intentionally between us, and because of the complexities of our lives we wanted to keep these first few months between close family and friends, and enjoy the wonder of falling in love.’
‘But as God would have it, that first phone conversation made us feel like this was exactly where we were both meant to end up,’ she continued before detailing their long-distance romance.
The couple, who met around seven months ago, looked overjoyed as they beamed from ear-to-ear and shared a kiss, while Stephanie flashed her diamond sparkler
The newly-engaged couple packed on the PDA as they shared a romantic kiss after Mark popped the big question
Stephanie looked effortlessly glamorous in a gorgeous white floral dress and strapped heels during the picture-perfect outdoor hotel proposal
‘Living halfway across the world from each other in different time zones has had its challenges (thank god for Zoom) but God has been so good and so present in every step of our journey, which gives us an unwavering faith that our future will be even more extraordinary through Him.
‘If there is one word that sums up how both of us feel right now, it’s grateful. Grateful for God, grateful for Him bringing us together in His perfect timing, grateful for a fresh start.
‘Grateful for the peace and strength we find in each other, grateful for loving friends and family, grateful for an amazing church and mentors supporting our journey, and most of all, grateful for each other.’
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 organisaton in Perth and has been with the church for more than 10 years, according to his LinkedIn profile.
He is also a father to three sons – Tyler, Joel and Luke – who Stephanie has already met as their budding relationship has only gone from strength-to-strength.
Their engagement comes just weeks after Stephanie first went public with their romance in an Instagram post in July after five months of dating
Mark is a father to three sons – Tyler, Joel and Luke (all pictured) – who Stephanie has already met as their budding relationship has only gone from strength-to-strength
‘I honestly never thought I would be this person turning up on prayer nights, on my own, in a new country, connecting with a community through a church,’ Stephanie recently shared of her journey with the church.
‘But here I am and gosh it is so special and has helped me feel so supported in this new home in Dubai.’
Kingdom City started in Perth in 2003 and has since gone global with branches in Africa, Europe and Asia in addition to the Middle East.
Stephanie was previously romantically involved with former soldier Dane Christison, who she met at an Australian church.
The couple holidayed in the United States together over Christmas 2023, but she publicly announced their split just months later in May 2024.
Stephanie had deleted images of her boyfriend from her Instagram page even earlier in March and had not mentioned him in some weeks.
The sportswoman later opened up about how she was happy their relationship had ended.
‘When I moved, I really wanted to share a lot more of the journey with you guys in real time,’ she said.
Mark (right) is a pastor with the organisation in Perth and has been with the church for more than 10 years, while Stephanie joined the church after moving to Dubai late last year
‘I just was going through the deepest healing. I was in a really challenging relationship at the time, when we broke up, I felt the peace of God was upon me. I felt like I felt free. I felt happy.
Stephanie said that her new life in Dubai has lifted a weight off her shoulders.
‘For the first time, I realised the heaviness that I was carrying. I just felt like it all lifted off me, and I feel like I’m in this amazing place now where I feel so happy, so content,’ she said.
‘God is so good. I’m seeing so many fruits of the amazing things God has given me, and I want to be able to share a lot more of what’s kind of happened over the past six months’ she said.
‘Now that I have a lot more clarity, a lot more peace, and a lot more happiness.’
