The strategy was all or nothing; death or glory. Afterwards he called it ''a radical, ridiculous plan''.

Hooker would wait until the bar reached 5.85 metres, a height he thought could win a medal, then attempt his first jump. It was an extraordinary notion. In pole-vaulting, warm-ups, run-ups and routines are mapped and rehearsed to the minutest degree. Nobody just comes in and jumps cold.

The 27-year-old thought he had only one jump in him. It was his only option.

To see him was to witness something highly unusual. He watched and nervously paced for more than three hours while the entire field jumped. When he entered the competition at 5.85 all but three competitors had bombed out. He set the bar for his one jump, ran in and did not make it. He thought his plan had failed. ''But I walked around a little bit, my leg felt OK and I was able to have a second jump.''

Having hit the bar at 5.85, he did what only a true champion would do: he raised it higher, summoned something extra and tried at 5.90. This time - somehow - he sailed over. His arms were punching the air before he was halfway to the mat. He landed, drew himself to his knees and dipped his head. He wept.

''Just thinking about that moment it is sort of coming back now,'' he said afterwards. ''It's been a very, very challenging couple of weeks.''

Two Frenchmen remained, both raised the bar higher and tried to show the Australian they could match his audacity. Both failed and Hooker had won.

Silver medallist Romain Mesnil could scarcely believe it either. He had been beaten in a way that defied his experience of the sport. ''When he jumped 5.90 my legs went stressed,'' he said. ''I'm proud to be silver behind Steve Hooker … what he did is so fantastic.''

Upon realising victory, Hooker went straight to the Frenchmen and embraced them. Then he climbed over the fence and shook hands with the men who had got him there: doctor, physio and coach.

Nothing beats Olympic gold and yet in some ways this one has given him more belief. ''I think I've proved something to myself,'' he said. ''I know I've got a lot more in me. When I'm healthy, when I've got good conditions, massive jumps are not out of the question.''