Screamed on by a capacity crowd, Freeman came off the top bend marginally behind Lorraine Graham but came storming down the home straight to take Australia's 100th gold medal in Olympic history in 49.11secs.

And there was joy for Great Britain as Katharine Merry took a superb bronze behind Freeman and Graham in a personal best of 49.72secs.

She was followed home by Donna Fraser, who with 49.79secs smashed her previous mark too.

The athletics superstar became the first Aborigine to win Olympic gold in athletics and in the process achieved what looks bound to become the defining moment of Sydney 2000.

Space-age

The woman who lit the Olympic flame at the opening ceremony, and who came to represent Australia's hopes, appeared in a space-age swift-suit - and her performance was out of this world.

The pressure on her had been so intense in the lead-up to the Games that she spent the summer months training in England.

But on the night that mattered the world champion delivered.

"Right now it's just a relief," she said after completing being wildly cheered round her lap of honour.

Overwhelming

"I can't quite understand what has happened to me of late. It's overaweing, overwhelming. I feel like an outsider looking in at it all."