It is one of the abiding memories of the Beijing Olympic Games 2008, Rebecca Adlington’s face of pure shock as she realised she had won gold.
It may stick out so much because it happened twice at the Games, as she claimed 400m freestyle and 800m freestyle gold.
Adlington went from unknown to national treasure in the space of just a few seconds.
The Mansfield native had qualified second-fastest for the 400m final in a national record, which was also under the previous Olympic record.
In the final, she lined up with Joanne Jackson to her left, as the two Brits looked to battle Katie Hoff and Federica Pellegrini, both of whom had also lowered the Olympic record in the heats.
With 50m to go, Adlington was out of the picture, in fact, at no point in the race had she been in the podium places at the turn.
Hoff had over a second lead on Jackson in second, with France’s Coralie Balmy in third, Adlington was in fifth and a whole-body length behind.
But as Hoff tired, Adlington surged to touch first, beating the American to gold by just seven hundredths of a second.
And then came the disbelief, before Jackson was pulled into a hug, having won bronze herself.
“I still thought I was second, that I had the silver, and was delighted with it,” Adlington told the Guardian.
“Katie was not in the next lane to me, so I couldn't see her properly, but I thought she had won gold.
“Then I realised I had won and there was Jo hugging me, which was so, so nice. Gold and bronze, amazing.”
The final was a moment in history too, as Adlington became the first British woman since Anita Lonsbrough to win gold in the pool, a wait of 48 years.
Lonsbrough, who had been at Beijing as a journalist, said: “I was delighted that the records I held for being 'the last British woman to ...' were finally gone. And they could not have gone to a more deserving athlete.”
Jackson’s bronze meant it was the first time since 1984 that two Brits had won swimming medals in the same race.
And there was more history to come, with Adlington’s favoured event of the 800m freestyle next on the bill.
But with the expectations of a nation now on her, Adlington admitted the pressure got to her.
Watching episodes of CSI Miami in the Village, plus calming words from coach Bill Furniss, helped prepare her for the final.
In the end, she need not have worried. Adlington touched home in the 800m final in a time of 8:14:10, shattering the world record by over two seconds.
Though this race was much less close than the 400m – Adlington won by 6.13 seconds from Alessia Filippi – the reaction was still the same.
With fellow Brit Cassandra Patten yet to finish her race, she touched for eighth in a time of 8:32:35, Adlington was able to look up and celebrate with her parents, who had flown in to support.
Her mum, Kay, later told the Guardian: “We were the proudest parents in Beijing. Mrs Phelps must be pretty proud too, but we were overjoyed.
“It was unbelievable. I felt like someone was going to pinch me and wake me up.”
With the place Adlington holds among British sporting greats, it is easy to forget that she was just 19 years old at the time of her Games debut.
She placed her age beautifully into context when she broke a 19-year-old world record in the final, which was set by Janet Evans just 184 days after Adlington was born.
Furniss said: “It was one of the all-time great swims, which should be remembered up there with those of [Michael] Phelps and [Mark] Spitz. It was an awesome achievement.
“She went out and destroyed the field. Some swimmers stand on the block and crack. Becky stands there and gets better.”
Adlington was given a hero's welcome on her return to Mansfield with thousands packing the streets.
It was in recognition of her becoming the first British swimmer to win two Olympic golds at one Games since 1908, as she had also contributed to Team GB’s best performance at an Olympic Games in 100 years.
Beijing marked a seminal moment for British Olympic sport, and four years later, Team GB and Adlington were able to reap the rewards of a home Games.
Adlington headed to London having added world, European and Commonwealth golds to her Olympic medals.
It meant that even though she could not defend her titles in London, those medals and her two bronzes in the capital put her far and away clear as Britain’s most successful female swimmer.
She retired from swimming aged just 23, but with more achievements than most cram into a lifetime.
Everyone from fellow swimmer Freya Anderson to curler Bruce Mouat has cited her as an inspiration.
Anderson went on to win gold at Tokyo 2020, as she, Anna Hopkin and Kathleen Dawson became the first British women since Adlington to win Olympic golds in the pool.
It was her legacy in action, and now Adlington takes pride in being able to sit back and reflect on it all.
"I remember everything, from how nervous I was before the race, the pain I felt during the race and how I just pushed my body to the limit,” she told the Aquatics GB website.
"I remember all the celebrations afterwards, I can just remember it all so clearly - and I'm so glad I do.
“It was a life-changing experience for me, so I'm very glad I have those memories and that they are amazing times I can look back on for the rest of my life and get to talk about for the rest of my life too!"
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