Stephanie Rice 'spotted kissing' Phelps

Rumours of a Beijing fling between superstar swimming duo Stephanie Rice and Michael Phelps have gathered steam overseas.

Fresh from their combined haul of 11 gold medals, Phelps and Rice — who will carry the Australian flag at the closing ceremony — were reportedly spotted kissing at an Olympic village party on Monday night.

The following day, the pair cheekily cuddled for the cameras at a sponsor's media day as Phelps removed his shirt.

"Phelps sucks face with Aussie" the New York Post screams on its gossip page.

The paper said that Phelps, 23, and Rice, 20, celebrated their pool triumphs by "sneaking off for a sizzling game of tonsil hockey".

"All the swimmers are talking about it, and [ex-boyfriend Eamon Sullivan] is cut up about what happened," the newspaper reported a source as saying.

Rice has been busy denying reports she is still romantically involved with silver medallist Sullivan, while Phelps has been linked to two women during his Beijing campaign — fellow US swimmer and Playboy pin-up Amanda Beard, and British model Lily Donaldson.

Both have denied they are dating the "Baltimore Bullet" — with an apparently disinterested Beard saying "Eww, that's nasty".

Rice was honoured with the role of flag bearer after winning the 200m and 400m individual medley titles and being part of the successful 4x200m freestyle relay team.

"I never even saw that coming," Rice said.

"I feel so honoured to be given this role and I'm really looking forward to it because I didn't get the opportunity to go to the opening."