By Mark Staniforth, PA Sport, Salt Lake City

Australian Steven Bradbury became one of the luckiest gold medallists in Olympic history on Saturday after an extraordinary series of events in the final rounds of the men's 1,000 metres short track speed skating at the Delta Centre.

Bradbury was first over the line in the final because his four rivals, who were all ahead of him, crashed out on the final bend.

What made Bradbury's win all the more remarkable was that he had only got through his quarter-final heat because he was knocked over and the referee ruled he had been impeded and was allowed to progress as is normal under short track rules.

He was even luckier in the semi-final when Korea's reigning champion Kim Dong Sung crashed three bends out and two other competitors collided on the last bend to allow Bradbury, who was again well off the pace, to sail over the line and into the final.

The packed crowd at the Delta Centre had come to see the crowning of their American hero Apollo Anton Ohno.

Ohno led for much of the race but he was undone by the chaos just yards from the line.

Korea's Ahn Hyun Soo appeared to try and cut in, forcing Ohno wide and into Canada's Matthieu Turcotte. China's Li Jiajun was also caught up in the melee. As they attempted to scramble to their feet, an amazed Bradbury cruised over the line, laughing at his outrageous fortune.

Ohno was quickest to his feet and stuck out a skate to grab the silver medal as the home crowd degenerated into absolute uproar.

It was surely one of the most incredible speed skating events of all time, and Bradbury became the first Australian to win a Winter Olympic gold - and in the most remarkable circumstances possible.

Britain's Leon Flack finished last in his quarter-final heat. Joanna Williams could not go further than the first stage of her 1,000m race and Sarah Lindsay got past one round but could not go any further.