By Ian Gordon, PA Sport, Sydney

The significance of the Olympics was not lost on British walker Chris Maddocks - and how the crowd acknowledged it.

The 43-year-old, competing in his fifth Games - a record for a British male athlete - fought off heat, pain and a hamstring injury to guarantee himself an amazing reception from the Sydney crowd.

Maddocks, a veterinary assistant, finished the 50km Walk not only almost 70 minutes after the winner in 39th place - but nearly half-an-hour later behind the previous competitor to cross the line.

And the Tiverton-born battler said: "That was the most painful 50km I have ever done - but the Olympic Games is the biggest thing for me."

Maddocks ploughed a very lonely furrow on the sun-drenched Sydney streets and was determined to carve his own place in British Olympic history by defying the pain to finish.

Only the support he received out on the road kept him going at times as he was told what awaited him in the stadium.

"I knew I was setting some sort of record by getting to the Games, which had been tough," added Maddocks, who qualified by winning the 50km Dutch Championships last March.

"I had done that in adversity. But I have never dropped out of a major championship and this was my 21st.

"But I did not think I was going to make it this time and I was so pleased to get to the finish - it was even better than I imagined.

"My friends and family and the crowd out there on the road were absolutely amazing. I wanted to stop so many times, I did stop several times.

"People out on the road, the policemen, the stewards, all the guys, people from all nationalities were giving me amazing support.

"They were talking to me, saying what it was going to be like at the finish in the stadium.

"I felt they were trying to keep me going with white lies. But they were not lying, it was the most amazing reception."

Maddocks was greeted with a roar from the 90,000 crowd as he emerged from the tunnel, then raised his arms aloft as he finally crossed the finish line.

For a time, he seemed fazed by the reception, turning around several times to gaze into the stands before raising his arm again as The Proclaimers hit 'If I Could Walk 500 Miles' finished and another classic 'These Boots Are Made For Walking' beat out.

He continued: "I am so grateful to finish, but I have to admit I hurt like hell at the moment.

"I was injured before I started the race. I broke down in training about three weeks ago. I had an MRI scan which showed I had a tear in my buttock and I think that caused a tear in my hamstring.

"Then physios have been working on me at the Gold Coast and here in Sydney, but unfortunately it wouldn't mend. So I just had to start the race and hope I could finish.

"But I must admit I was hanging on for the five laps at the start. I didn't even think I was going to make those laps on the track.

"I was hurting so much, but this is the Olympics Games, the biggest thing in sport."

For the record, Maddocks finished 39th in four hours 52 minutes 12 seconds. Ireland Jamie Costin, who was 38th, came home in 4:24.22 while Poland's Robert Korzeniowski took gold in 3:42.22.

But the Plymouth-based Maddocks is not giving up - he has not ruled out competing in Athens in 2004.