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Jonathan Edwards finally struck triple jump gold in his fourth Olympic Games and then admitted: "I've come through by the skin of my teeth."

World record holder Edwards, who had to settle for the silver medal in Atlanta, took the title he has waited so long for with a third-round leap of 17.71 metres.

It was a world-best mark for this year and enough to give the 34-year-old Gateshead Harrier a cherished gold with Cuban Yoel Garcia claiming silver (17.47) and Russian Denis Kasputin (17.46) taking bronze.

But Edwards admitted it had been hard going and while he was confident of victory he was not at his best.

"I didn't feel good, I didn't feel fluid and I was praying like mad," he said.

"I was hanging on a little bit and I've come through by the skin of my teeth.

"This was my last chance. I knew when I looked at the field, I had the talent to win but it was a very tough competition.

"I didn't jump particularly well. It was just hard work from beginning to end - much harder than breaking the world record.

"I owed it to God to win and I feel very grateful. I don't know what to say - I'm overwhelmed.

"I was very nervous beforehand and there were constant disruptions with medal ceremonies and other races going on.

"I thought my best chance of winning would be in Atlanta. Now here I am in Sydney four years later, 34 years old and winning the gold medal. I still can't really put together what I've done."

Edwards could not have had a worse preparation despite coming into the championships as clearly the best triple jumper the world has seen.

The devout Christian had only been in Britain's training camp a couple of days when he learned of the death of his mother-in-law who had been terminally ill.

He was also forced to apologise to Britain's swimmers after describing them as a bunch of party-loving medal no-hopers, though he insisted later that he had not made the comment in his website column.

Phoning his wife Alison from the athletes mixed zone, Edwards said: "I told her 'I love you' and 'can you believe it really happened'. I think she said she loved me."

After clinching the gold Edwards was immediately embraced by Kelly Holmes who had snatched an unexpected bronze in the 800m final just seconds before.

Edwards, who was expected to win the gold in Atlanta having taken the event into a new era with his astonishing world record breaking exploits in 1995, dominated this competition, eventually winning by 24cms.

He had banished the disappointments of Atlanta and the World Championships in Seville last year, when he was bronze medallist.

Britain's Larry Achike (17.29) was denied the bronze in the final round as he slipped to fifth, just one place ahead of young team-mate Phillips Idowu (17.08).