Keely Hodgkinson was crowned European champion as Britain rounded off with a medal spree at the European Athletics Indoor Championships.
The 19-year-old confirmed her status as one of female middle-distance running’s brightest talents with a first major 800m title four days after her birthday.
Hodgkinson became the first Brit to break a world under-20 record since Zola Budd in 1985 when she clocked an incredible 1:59.03 in Vienna.
The winning time of 2:03.88 was incomparable but so was the racing nous and maturity needed to negotiate heats, semi-finals and a final which she led from the front.
“I'm over the moon!” said the Wigan Harrier.
"I am only 19 and still learning. I just wanted to stay relaxed and not change anything for the final.
“I really believed in myself, because if I don’t, who’s going to?
“I didn't really think too much of expectations before the competition, just trying to stay cool and get the job done, and that paid off.”
Hodgkinson is the youngest British athlete to win gold at the European Indoor Championships since 1970.
The evening began with a pulsating pair of sprint hurdle finals yielding three medals for Great Britain.
World indoor champion Andrew Pozzi equalled his personal best and emerged from silver with a bruising battle with France’s Wilhem Belocian, clocking 7.43.
“Going into the outdoor season, there's still work to be done, but I am where I want to be at this point,” said the 28-year-old.
Then sisters Cindy Semper and Tiffany Porter reached the podium together in the 60m hurdles, taking silver and bronze respectively.
Semper, who had not run sub-eight seconds before this season, lowered her personal best with 7.99 in the heats and 7.89 in the semi and final.
“I would prefer to have beaten Cindy!” said Porter, who represented Team GB at London 2012 and Rio 2016. “I'm really happy for her, she deserved it.”
Meanwhile, Jamie Webb rounded off a memorable indoor season with 800m bronze after a plucky front-running display.
Webb added to his silver on home soil at the European Indoors in Glasgow in 2019 and finished on the podium after a draining semi-final in which he needed to run 1:45.99.
“I am really proud of how I ran,” said the 26-year-old.
“I followed my philosophy of how to run. I was controlling the race and I wanted to make it fast.
“You can’t complain about a medal, I had a fantastic indoor season and stayed injury free.”
Relays provided the traditional curtain call to the Championships with Britain picking up bronze in the men’s 4x400m.
Anchor runner Lee Thompson took the baton in fifth place and improved that to third, clinging on to Czech Republic down to the home straight to reach the podium alongside Joe Brier, Owen Smith and James Williams.
And then Jessie Knight survived a messy final baton change to bring home silver in the women’s 4x400m with Jodie Williams, Amarachi Pipi and Zoey Clark.
Britain finished third in the medal table at the Championships - winning more medals than any other country with 12, behind Netherlands and Portugal on golds won.
Sportsbeat 2021