Lydia Lassila, Australia's freestyle aerial skier WINS GOLD

Lydia Lassila wins Australia's second gold; making it the most successful Winter Games yet

Australian Lydia Lassila won gold in a dramatic women's freestyle aerials final at the Vancouver Olympic Winter Games on Thursday.

Lassila recorded a two-jump combined score of 214.74 points.

Lassila blew her knee out in the 2006 Olympic final in Turin, making this victory all the sweeter.

"This is vindication for all the sacrifices," said Lassila.

"I've come from some pretty bad places and rough times and I've finally done it.

"I knew I could do it, it was just a matter of pulling it off."

It is Australia's second gold medal of the 2010 Vancouver Games and third overall medal, making it the biggest haul by Australia at a single Olympic Winter Games.

It is the second time in three Games that Australia has topped the podium in the women's aerials, following Alisa Camplin's triumph in 2002. Camplin also finished third in the event in 2006.

Lassila, 28, became Australia's fifth-ever Winter Olympics gold medallist, joining Camplin, speedskater Steven Bradbury, moguls skier Dale Begg-Smith and snowboarder Torah Bright, who won the women's half-pipe title last week in Vancouver.

"It's just utter excitement right now," Lassila told Channel Nine.

"I'm just so happy that I landed two jumps, I did my thing how I could do it and I've shown the whole world that.

" ... I have done everything to plan this year, everything has worked out to plan."

Lassila also won the World Cup title last year.