In an extremely close fourth run, the 45-year-old Ellmauer secured the world title by 0.08 seconds ahead of Latvia's European champion Arturs Klots on the Olympia Bobrun.

The 2017 and 2018 world champion had started the final day back in sixth place and secured his silver medal with the fastest time in the last of the four heats.

Switzerland's Christopher Stewart, who had started the day as the leader after the opening two rounds yesterday, had to settle for the bronze medal on his home track.

He finished 0.28 seconds behind Ellmauer, who had taken up bobsleigh in 2017.

The 2016 and 2019 world champion, Canada’s Lonnie Bissonnette finished fourth as the United States' Guillermo Castillo and Britain's Corie Mapp completed the top-six.

It was the first time that athletes with disabilities had competed alongside all the other disciplines at the IBSF World Championships.

"World champion, that's really incredible," Ellmauer, who has also represented Austria in wheelchair basketball, said.

"And it was really a very close race.

"My fourth run was actually not my best, but it was still enough."

For the 31-year-old Klots, the silver medal represented something of a triumph after starting the day so far down.

"The first World Championship day with the first two race runs did not go so well," he said.

"Instead, the third and fourth runs were really, really good today.

"That's what ultimately won me the medal."

Stewart's emotions were more up in the air.

"There are mixed feelings right now: I'm happy to be on the podium, at the same time I'm disappointed especially about my fourth run and that it wasn't enough for silver anymore," the 49-year-old said.

"But Arturs Klots was really strong and Hermann Ellmauer really delivered, especially in the third run.

"It's nice that as part of the IBSF World Championships we get more attention from the media and the fans this year."