Steph Rice’s crushing love life news emerges as man vanishes

Stephanie Rice’s latest love life development has fans fearing the worst with her reported love interest suddenly vanishing.

Steph Rice’s turbulent life has seemingly hit a crushing hurdle with rumours she and her reported boyfriend have split.

The Olympic champion went public with her relationship with a new man in December when she shared photos of them kissing and cuddling.

Now just 10 weeks later fans are fearing the worst with the man vanishing from her Instagram page.

Rice’s love interest, first identified by News Corp as former soldier Dane Christison, had looked all loved up with Rice in photos shared of their romantic Christmas holiday — but rumours are flying the relationship has come to an end.

Rice has barely been able to keep her feet on the ground in recent months after moving to Dubai in December and telling her followers she had no plans to return to Australia.

The 35-year-old said it was her Christian faith that inspired to make the dramatic move overseas.

She seemed overjoyed about that decision when first sharing photos of herself with Christison.

“I never would have expected the year to end this way!!” Rice wrote.

“Giving my life to God, following his call to move my life to Dubai, meeting you on my first week at church in Brisbane and spending our first Christmas together in New York.

Stephanie Rice with Dane Christison. Photo: Instagram, @itsstephrice.

Stephanie Rice and Vanessa Perren.

“I can’t tell you how long I’ve waited for this. You just have to keep faith in his plan and in his timing.

“God is so so good and I can’t wait to see what he has in store for 2024.”

Rice shared photos this week of her returning to Australia to speak at Christian charity events, including one with Brisbane Lions legend Simon Black and Aussie cricket cult hero Chris Lynn.

“It been such a blessing to be back here to see my friends and family and progress some excited work commitments,” she wrote on Instagram.

“I was asked to speak last week at Christian charity event and I have another speaking even later in my trip, along with a photoshoot for a new brand partner which is truly so exciting.”

She went on to write: “I’m looking forward to heading back to Dubai shortly but this trip to Australia has been rewarding in so many ways.

“Praise the Lord for all the good he is doing in every area of my life. Thank you God.”

It did not go unnoticed that Christison was not present.

One fan wrote: “Have you broken up with your man? We haven’t seen anything with him since you’ve been in town?”

Steph Rice has been living a turbulent life recently. Photo: Instagram, @itsstephrice.

She admitted recently she agonised over the decision to leave Australia.

Rice had never previously spoken publicly about her plans and didn’t mention it once during filming of this year’s SAS Australia season where she was forced to quit as a result of serious injury.

Rice was in tears on the show as she detailed her relationship record in a heartbreaking interview where she also opened up on her mental struggles since finishing her athletic career.

“It’s harder,” she said when asked about having personal relationships as a high profile figure.

“I think it’d be nice to have somebody to go through the harder times.

“I would love to have somebody to help through, like ride the waves.”

She said there was “not a lot” for her to go home to after filming of the show wrapped up.

Rice’s love life has previously made headlines around the world.

After splitting from Aussie swimming great Eamonn Sullivan following the Beijing Olympics, rumours spread Rice had been romantically linked with Michael Phelps, former NRL winger David “Wolfman” Williams and Aussie swimming bad boy Nic D’Arcy.

Stephanie Rice poses during a Sport Australia Hall of Fame event. AAP Image/Michael Dodge.

“The past few months have been a rollercoaster of emotions, which have brought about so many wonderful changes which I’m excited to share with you as I start this new journey in Dubai,” she posted.

“I’m sure you all have a lot of questions about this move and trust that I will share it with you in due course. At this stage I have no set plans yet in Dubai which is a little scary, I just knew I needed to follow this calling from deep within.

“Moving overseas has been something I have felt called to for so long, it just was never quite the right time…but now the time has come! I want to share this journey with you in hopes it inspires you to honour your own inner-callings and to have faith in the path ahead, even if you don’t yet know what it’s going to look like right now…cause I sure don’t!!

“I guess that’s life though right…just taking one step at a time and trusting that you will always know what to do next when you get there.”