Sohan Senanayake was at a Melbourne train station on his way to work in July 2013 when a woman collapsed onto the tracks.
When no-one else noticed, Mr Senanayake took matters into his own hands.
"I looked at the passenger-information display, and it said the train was coming in one minute, so adrenaline kicked in, and I jumped onto the tracks," he told SBS News.
"(I) tried to see if she was conscious, and she wasn't. And then another gentleman, Laurence Deal, he jumped in as well, and, together, we lifted her back off the tracks. That, I guess, all happened in probably 30 seconds."
A train approaches Richmond station in Melbourne, where Sohan Senanayake saved a woman who had fallen onto the tracks. Source: AAP
With their actions captured on the train station's CCTV, Mr Senanayake and Mr Deal have now been honoured with Australian Bravery Medals.
The award is given to people who have performed an act of bravery in hazardous circumstances.
Mr Senanayake said he simply acted on instinct.
"I feel like, you know, every person's life is just as important, and (it was) just instinct to jump in and try to get her because I wasn't sure if the train could stop in time. I guess it was just another human life (and) I had to do everything I could."
Sohan Senanayake has been awarded an Australian Bravery Medal. Source: LinkedIn
Mr Senanayake said he feels privileged to receive a Bravery Medal.
"I just feel really honoured, and overwhelmed as well. But there are a lot of people who do brave acts. It was just because mine was caught on CCTV and people saw it, that's why I'm getting it.
"But there's so many people who, on a daily basis, do such great acts."
Bomb hero
Among the others awarded a Bravery Medal this year is former police officer Matthew Warwick.
In August 2011, Mr Warwick, then a senior sergeant with the New South Wales police, was called in to examine an apparent explosive device fixed to a young woman in Sydney.
The young woman was the daughter of the wealthy, soon-to-be head of the Australian Rugby Union, Bill Pulver.
Former NSW police officer Matthew Warwick has also been awarded a 2018 Bravery Medal. Source: Supplied
Although an extortion attempt failed and the explosive device turned out to be a hoax, Mr Warwick said the situation was extremely tense.
"It was quite a unique situation that I'd never encountered," he told SBS News.
"We were very fortunate to be surrounded by extremely well-coordinated police. It certainly wasn't a solo effort. The main goal was [to] focus on the job at hand and what the task was, carrying it out to the best of your ability, and relying on your training to successfully carry out that deployment."
"But, certainly, there were elements of apprehension."
Now retired from the police force, Mr Warwick said the Bravery Medal holds special meaning.
"When you're recognised amongst your peers and people that you work with, and you sort of get mentioned like this, I'm very proud and very honoured, and my family obviously feels the same way."
Matthew Warwick (L) walks from a home in Sydney where Bomb squad officers worked to defuse a suspicious device in 2011. Source: AAP
Others recognised
This year's Bravery Awards also recognised the late Tori Johnson, the manager of Sydney's Lindt Cafe, where a lone gunman took 18 hostages in 2014.
Mr Johnson, along with barrister Katrina Dawson and the gunman, died in the siege.
Mr Johnson has been awarded a posthumous Star of Courage, given for acts of conspicuous courage in circumstances of great peril.
Ms Dawson has been awarded a Bravery Medal.
Photos showing Katrina Dawson (L) and Tori Johnson (R) sit amongst the floral tributes left outside the Lindt cafe in Sydney's Martin Place. Source: AFP
Skydiving instructor Antonio Rokov has also been recognised.
He died in a jump gone wrong in Goulburn, New South Wales, but saved his teenage passenger by using his body to break the fall.
The former soldier, participating in a tandem jump in 2015 when a freak gust of wind hit, has been given a Star of Courage.
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