Emma Snowsill of Australia competes in the women's triathlon at the Ming Tomb reservoir in the Changping District of northern Beijing during the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games August 18, 2008. [Agencies]

Snowsill, 27, rushed through the finish line in ease with 1 hour 58  minutes and 27 seconds carrying her national flag and clapping hands with  her supporters.

Portugal's Fernandes, the all-time World Cup wins leader and the only  woman to win on the Beijing course, came in second 1 minute and 6 seconds  later. 23-year-old Fernandes was a credited triathlete for the course for  winning the last three Beijing world cups.

Snowsill's teammate Emma Moffatt took the bronze with 1 minute and 28  seconds more. Moffatt was also a four-time world championships medalist.

"I knew I had to get out on that run. Coming down on the last lap I had  to throw in whatever I had left. There's nothing like running scared. I  had to make sure I didn't leave anything out on that field. I put every  ounce of energy into this," said Snowsill after the race.

"This is a very challenging bike and I was very thankful to see the  finish line."

On competing in her first Olympics, Snowsill said: "I tried to maintain  the attitude that it's a swim, bike, run race and the Olympic rings come  afterwards."

Snowsill was neglected from Australian squad at the Athens Games.  "There was a reason for that. Lessons were learned and it was a great  motivation for coming to Beijing, but that has never been a sore point for  me," said she.

Snowsill and Fernandes were on a different level to the rest of the  competitors and were expected to decide the gold between them in the final  stages of the run.