Talking to Jill Douglas of the BBC, Romero explains "I can’t explain how I feel! My mum, my sister and my Aunt could not make it out here – to them, I did it!! It is great that I have family and friends here to support me too." Asked how does it feel to be an Olympic champion after Silver in Rowing in 2004, Rebecca replied, "Its not the reaction I felt I would have but it is magical. Jesus Chris, it has been so hard, the things I have had to go through . I totally believe in myself now."

"I did before, but the ultimate was facing the demons and I had tough opposition today. I knew this Gold was in me but a week ago it wasn’t in me at all. Gold medals don’t come easy that is for sure. I have had to fight every step of the way. When I crossed the line, I didn’t even expect that, and I had to check it was me."

On the fact the boat she was in last year had to settle for Silver today, Romero explained "I was told just before my race, and I am gutted for them, absolutely gutted but that is sport isn’t it."

"Today was D-Day for me," Romero explained. "I knew it was going to be the toughest race of my life. I just put my head down and went for it," she said. "I wanted gold, I wanted to be champion. Now I’ve put my mark down to be remembered."

"All credit to Wendy [Houvenaghel, editor], she really made me work for the gold medal," she added. "I’m ecstatic for Wendy, she’s a great athlete. She hasn’t been fortunate in the big championships, so maybe all of those are now traded in for this medal. A big thanks or being such a great team-mate and great opposition."

"It took a while for my smile to come as I didn’t realise I’d won. Today was all about hard work and determination. Being Olympic champion puts you on a different level to everyone else."

Wendy Houvenaghel scored a career-first Olympic medal with silver in 3:30.395.

Houvenaghel said she was proud of her silver medal too. "It was always going to be a matter of who was going to be better on the day and Rebecca [Romero, editor] managed to get the gold, which is great."

"I got the silver and I’m very proud of myself for doing so," she added.  "I think I’ll have a few weeks off, assess where we are and put a plan in place for the next four years, and all being well, look forward to the London Olympic Games. It's the best I could do today, considering I did two pursuits in the last two days. I couldn't go faster, did my best and I have to make peace with that."

In the bronze medal race, Lesya Kalitovska of Ukraine easily rolled onto the podium with a comfortable victory against Alison Shanks of New Zealand.

Kalitovska stopped the clock in 3:31:413 against Shanks' 3:34.156 to win Ukraine's first medal in Cycling Track competition during the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

Romero's gold medal caps a remarkable transformation from Olympic rower to Individual Pursuit champion after switching to Cycling Track in 2005 after a back injury kept her from her best in rowing.

By 2007, she was already a force in the 3km Pursuit, earning a silver medal at the Mallorca 2007 world championships.

After beating archrival Sarah Hammer of the United States to claim her first world title in the Manchester 2008 world championships in June, the 28-year-old Romero rode with confidence throughout three days of competition.

Houvenaghel, 33, is another late-comer to Cycling Track. She didn't start cycling until she was 27.

She has never won a medal at world championship level, with her best Individual Pursuit result being fourth at the 2007 and 2008 worlds. She also helped motor Great Britain to victory in the Women's Team Pursuit in the Manchester worlds in June.

Romero and Houvenaghel - who share the same coach and are roommates in the Olympic Village during competition - continued Great Britain's impressive medal haul.

Through three days of competition, Great Britain has won seven of 12 individual medals in Cycling Track.

Beijing proved to be a disappointment for pre-race favorite Hammer, a two-time world champion who struggled to find her rhythm in qualifying and didn't reach the medal rounds.

Hammer, Kalitovska and Romero are also to start the Women's Points Race on Monday, August 18.