Healey, who became world number one earlier this year after winning the Archery World Cup in Antalya, Turkey, defeated Spain’s Elia Canales 6-2 in the final in awkwardly blustery conditions at Plaszowianka Archery Park.

"This win means a lot,” Healey said.

“Before this week my Nan died, so I wanted to dedicate anything I did to her and I wanted to do the best I could."

Earlier in the day her 6-0 semi-final win over Italy’s Chiara Rebagliati turned out to be enough to earn the single Olympic quota place on offer when Canales, who had already secured Spain a quota place by winning Sunday’s mixed team competition with Miguel Alvarino, reached the final by beating Ukraine's Anastasiia Pavlova.

“I know it was on my mind going into the match,” said Healey.

“But I didn’t realise it until they said it.”

As Healey and her coach Nicky Hunt left the arena, the stadium announcer broke the good news.

“I’m shaking and I’m about to cry,” Healey added.

So gusty was it at the Archery Park that you could see trees heaving in the background and the wind tugging at the archer's sleeves as they zeroed in on their distant targets.

And yet Healey’s semi-final against Italy's Chiara Regaliati was near-perfect.

The teenager from Telford, in Shropshire, opened with a 27 to the Italian's 16 to take the first lot of set points in end one.

She then increased her score by one point with a 28 to take the next set.

In the third end, Rebagliati had a 29 end in the target, meaning Penny needed a 10 with her final arrow to win, and she did just that.

In the gold final the first end was tied on 26 apiece, and both archers adjusted accordingly.

Healey responded with a perfect 30 to take the match to 3-1.

The third end was a 28 which was enough to win the next lot of set points from Canales and go 5-1 up.

Needing only to tie the last end to win the Briton did just that as they shared 29 points.

Earlier in the day Rebagliati earned the women's recurve bronze medal for Italy after defeating Pavlova 6-4.

The recurve medal matches were preceded by those for the women’s compound competition - which is not an Olympic event.

Turkey's Hazal Burun earned the bronze medal with a 146-139 win over Tanja Gellenthien of Denmark.

And Italy's Elisa Roner beat Ella Gibson of Britain, who set a world record in qualifying, 145-139.