JONATHAN Edwards launched Britain to her best Games since 1956 when he bounded to triple jump gold last night in Sydney - his country's sixth title of the XXVII Olympiad.

With bronze from Katharine Merry in the 400 metres, as Cathy Freeman ignited national celebrations, and another from Kelly Holmes in an unheralded 800m performance, it added up to the best UK medal placing in 44 years.

Edwards, the world record-holder, cleared 17.71 metres to beat Yoel Garcia, of Cuba (17.47m) and Denis Kapustin, of Russia (17.46m).

Britain's Commonwealth cham-pion, Larry Achike (17.29m) had held bronze until the final round, while a third Briton, Phillips Idowu, was sixth (17.08m).

Parson's son Edwards had dominated world triple-jumping since 1995, yet never again approached the form with which he took the world title that year.

It was Britain's first jump gold since 1964, when Lynn Davies won in Tokyo.

The last time the UK took won six golds was when the Olympics were last in Australia, at Melbourne, where Scottish boxer Dick McTaggart was among the six winners.

One more gold would be Britain's best since Eric Liddell's Chariots of Fire Olympics: Paris, in 1924.

''We were a bit of a sideshow tonight - no doubt about it,'' said the 34-year-old Edwards, acknowledging the Freemania phenomenon that engulfed Stadium Australia.

Edwards clapped his hands above his head to get the crowd going for his opening attempt, but they had eyes only for Freeman.

For his second effort, the golden-shod Michael Johnson was flashing past, in the men's 400m. Even on his decisive third jump, Edwards had to contend with Anier Garcia's victory lap after the Cuban had penned the Olympic epitaph of hurdler Colin Jackson.

This time, Edwards split the sand at 17.71m, best in the world this year, and further than any of his rivals had ever managed.

''I was just overwhelmed. I was on the point of crying and had to choke back the tears,'' he said.

''Here I was, after everything that has happened, in this amazing arena, and I was the champion. It was almost too much.

''I was praying like mad. I was hanging on a little bit, and have come through by the skin of my teeth.

''This was my last chance. I knew when I looked at the field that I had the talent to win. I owed it to God to win.

''I feel this is something to share with everyone - my wife, my boys, my country . . . I felt under a lot of pressure.

''I desperately wanted to win, as a fitting climax to my career.''

Edwards collapsed in despair in Atlanta four years ago, while four years earlier, he considered quitting athletics and returning to his job as a genetic scientist, after having failed even to qualify for the Barcelona final.

However, God smiled on the man who once refused to compete on the Sabbath.

''Athletics is what God wanted me to do,'' he said. ''All that was asked of me was to be faithful in that.

''I do not see it as some kind of reward.''

Edwards' mother-in-law had died while he was out here, and the pressure in every respect was intense.

His Scottish wife, Alison, said: ''I have never been good at watching Jonathan jump. I had to go for a walk with a friend. He wanted to get the gold for us, so we would have something to celebrate, because we have all had a difficult time.''

Seven-year-old son, Samuel, said: ''I didn't know whether daddy would win. I was very nervous, and I had to go and play my computer games during the competition. I'm looking forward to seeing him, because I have missed him.

''Even if he hadn't won, I'd have still loved him, because he is still my daddy.''

First legally to break the 18-metre barrier, he nevertheless suffered Olympic and then world defeats in 1997 and '99. It seemed his talents, if not his God had forsaken him.

Merry, in only her first full 400m season denied compatriot Donna Fraser the bronze by just 0.07, as Freeman wrote herself into history.

Merry's boyfriend, Olivier Jean Theodore, had proposed to her on her birthday, the day before the opening ceremony.

''Athletics is not the be-all and end-all in my life,'' she said.

''I have never experienced anything like that - and I don't mean because I won a medal. The whole occasion was incredible.

''I think Freeman is awesome, and didn't mind telling her that. How-ever, that doesn't mean I don't think I can beat her some day.''

The 400m pair's success augurs well for a medal, possibly gold, with Curbishley in the 4 x 400m.

Holmes led from 180m out, but was cut down in the last 50m, finishing third in 1min 56.80sec, second best of her life.

''I don't know where that came from,'' she said. ''I had so many injuries, I only had spikes on twice before August.''

Holmes left Atlanta on crutches, and thought she might never run again. Now, she will tackle the 1500m heats tomorrow.

Haile Gebrselassie won the finest championship 10,000m ever, holding off Kenyan Paul Tergat by just .09 as he won in 27-18.20.

It was the Ethiopian's second Olympic gold, and he also has two world titles at the distance.

Tergat has been second every time.