By Mark Staniforth, PA Sport, Salt Lake City

Australian Steven Bradbury admitted his victory in the men's 1000 metres speed-skating was 'freakish'.

He is already being called the luckiest gold medallist in Olympic history: the short-track Foinavon.

"I don't know how it happened," Bradbury said. "I saw them all on the floor and I thought, this can't be right, I think I won."

Bradbury had nearly died on the track in the 1994 World Championships in Montreal, when he fell and impaled himself on an opponent's skate, losing four litres of blood and requiring 111 stitches. In 2000, he fell and broke his neck, having to wear a halo brace for more than a month.

He was right in more ways than one when he said: "I consider myself the luckiest man. God smiles on you some days, and this is my day."

Bradbury's route to Australia's first ever Winter Games gold simply defied belief. Trailing in his quarter-final, he progressed because two skaters in front of him crashed out.

Well behind in his semi-final, he won through again because three ahead of him all fell on the final lap.

In the final, Bradbury was the only one of five not in contention on the very last bend. But they all crashed, and Bradbury glided over the finishing line with a grin of disbelief on his face.

Behind him was chaos. American glamour boy Apolo Anton Ohno, who had looked certain to win gold, struggled to his feet and thrust one skate over the line for silver. Canadian Mathieu Turcotte slid over on his backside for bronze.

The 15,000 crowd in the Delta Center booed and the judges conferred before confirming the result would stand.

"I saw the judges and I thought they were going to have a re-race," Bradbury said.

"I don't know if they had grounds for a re-race, but I'm sure as hell glad they didn't have one."

Bradbury was well out of contention going into the final turn. China's Li Jiajun tried to push his way through and knocked into South Korea's Kim Dong-Sung.

Kim slid over the track into Ohno, who in turn took out Turcotte. Li was disqualified. Ohno needed six stitches in a thigh wound and turned up to the medal ceremony in a wheelchair. Turcotte received a slash wound in his backside and said he couldn't sit down.

Ironically the chief referee who opted against a re-run was another Australian called James Hewish. Some inevitably sought out a new judging controversy, but the officials' bottom line was that Bradbury was an innocent party. He stayed out of trouble, stayed on his feet and was quickest over the line.

"I had a hell of a lot of luck tonight," Bradbury admitted with great understatement.

"In the quarters I went in to mix it up and ran out of legs. In the semi I planned on riding at the back hoping for accidents or a collision or something.

"In the final I did the same thing and I thought if something happened I might squeak a bronze. Obviously, I was not the fastest skater out there, but those were my tactics and they worked like a charm."

Ohno was gracious in defeat, unlike many in the loud but jingoistic crowd who booed Bradbury for having the temerity to accept the victory.

"You don't deserve the gold," one spectator shouted at the Australian. Bradbury's reply is unprintable.

"It was one of the races of my life," Ohno said. "It's unfortunate that I got taken out on that last corner, but that's short-track. I was definitely very happy with my performance, regardless of what medal I have."

To add to an amazing story, Ohno was wearing skates made by Bradbury, who runs a firm in his native Queensland called the Revolutionary Boot Company.

Bradbury said he sent an e-mail to Ohno two days ago pleading with the favourite American: "Give me a mention if you get a medal."

Britain's Leon Flack finished last in his quarter-final heat and did not have Bradbury's luck.

Jo Williams failed to qualify from her women's 500metres heat. Debbie Lindsay won her heat, but came last in her quarter-final.

The gold went to Yang Yang, giving China, like the Australians, their first ever Winter Olympic gold, but in rather more conventional circumstances.