Steve Redgrave wrote himself into the history books this morning, winning a fifth consecutive Olympic gold as the British crew won a nerve-jangling duel over Italy in the men's coxless four.

Redgrave's previous golds were in the coxed four in Los Angeles, and the coxless pairs in Seoul, Barcelona and Atlanta.

His team of Matthew Pinsent, Tim Foster and James Cracknell took the top honours and gained revenge on Italy's Valter Molea, Riccardo Deirossi, Lorenzo Carboncini and Carlo Mornati - who beat them at the World Championships at Lucerne in July.

That defeat hurt Britain who vowed to hit back at the Olympics. Britain only getting a fourth seeding in Sydney only added to the insult.

In a thrilling race, the British led from the front, opening up a 0.88 seconds lead in the first 500m before the Italian four stormed back into contention. At 1,000m the British crew's lead was slashed to 0.46 seconds setting up a nail-biting finish.

The Italians pressed hard in the final 500m but Redgrave's experience saw the British team home in five minutes 56.24 seconds - by less than half a second after they upped their strike rate to a powerful 40 strokes a minute.

On crossing the line an exhausted Redgrave (38) slumped forward in his seat while Pinsent, who partnered Redgrave to gold medals in 1992 and 1996, clambered from his position to embrace him before plunging into the water.

In the heady euphoria which followed the British hugged and kissed each other.

"It has been four years of hard work. I had a good feeling all week and I knew it was going to go well," said Redgrave. "It was close, but that doesn't matter. Second best is not good enough, it's who crosses the line first. A lot of people wanted us to win but we still had to go out there and do the job."

While admitting the Italians had made it hard going, Redgrave said he knew it was won after 250 metres. "We raced out ahead into a comfortable lead and no-one was going to catch us," he said.

Redgrave was presented with a commemorative gold pin by International Olympic Committee president Juan Antonio Samaranch.

Victory also handed Pinsent his third consecutive gold.

Only one man, Hungarian fencer Aladar Gerevich, who won six gold medals between 1932 and 1960, has struck more often than Redgrave.