Yelena Isinbayeva saw off her fellow Russian Svetlana Feofanova to clinch a dramatic women's pole vault gold.
Isinbayeva set a new world record after grabbing gold
Isinbayeva, the world record holder going into the Games, was one jump from elimination before clearing 4.85m.
Feofanova had to clear 4.90m to stay with her rival, but was nowhere near and had to settle for silver on 4.75. Poland's Anna Rogowska took bronze.
Isinbayeva, her title secure, then raised the bar to 4.91m to try to beat her own world record - and succeeded.
It was the 22-year-old's seventh world record this year, yet she had been in tears on the verge of catastrophe only minutes earlier.
Isinbayeva secured her title after taking a breathtaking gamble when in bronze position.
Having failed at both 4.70 and 4.75, she put the bar up to 4.80m and sailed well clear, earning a huge cheer from the crowd in the Olympic stadium.
She then cleared 4.85 before, with tears in her eyes, moving on to break her own world record by 1cm.
It was the first athletics world record to be broken in Athens.
Feofanova was so impressed that the pair, who have publicly admitted they do not get on, exchanged friendly words and smiles.