If there was ever any doubt over the renaissance of British swimming then they all-but vanished at the London Aquatics Centre as Adam Peaty smashed the 100m breaststroke world record.
It's been more than a quarter of a century since Adrian Moorhouse took gold in the event at Seoul 1988 but Peaty is showing all the signs that a British man can climb atop the podium on the biggest stage once again.
There was an air of expectation as Peaty lined up to bring the curtain down on the fourth day of the British Swimming Championships but there were no murmurs of a world record.
What followed was 57.92 seconds of world class swimming as the 20-year-old blew the field away to smash Cameron van der Burgh's previous time by 0.54 seconds.
Put simply, it was breathtaking and left Peaty lost for words.
“I knew I could get a 58-mid, and I knew if the heavens were on my side I could go a low 58, but to be the first person below 58, I have got no words for that,” he said.
“I can’t believe it, coming in earlier I thought I could get a really good time, maybe a 58.5.
“Before that race I just thought I’ve done all the training for a 57, and it all paid it off in the end.
“The crowd were great and they really carried me home at the end, because that was a hell of a pain train.
“It did feel faster down the first 50 but I soon tired up, but that’s where more training will help me and hopefully I can get faster.”
While the headlines will rightly go to Peaty it was a night of standout performances across the board, with Sophie Taylor taking gold in the 100m breaststroke in 1:07.39.
There was also gold for Daniel Wallace in the 400m individual medley as he clocked 4:12.78 and the ever-impressive Ben Proud dipped below 22 seconds to take 50m freestyle victory ahead of rising star Thomas Fannon.
“I’ve been swimming constant 22 second lows so to go faster than that is a great feeling, especially at the London Aquatics Centre,” said Proud.
“I’m happy with the time, I would have liked to go a bit faster seeing as I swam better in the heats this morning but it’s still good to go under 22 seconds.
“I’ve been looking forward to swimming at the world championships since I last went in 2013.”
Rachael Kelly was in fine form in the 100m butterfly as she touched in 57.72 to take gold ahead of Jemma Lowe who was 0.25 seconds behind.
And Fran Halsall showed she still has plenty left to offer amid the emergence of an exciting crop of young talent as she was crowned 50m freestyle champion in 24.37.
“The race was really good, I think it was a good, solid swim,” she said. “It’s a lot easier for me when I’ve got people next to me that are swimming about the same times, because with a 50m you have to get a bit aggressive about it all.
“It’s very nice to get the gold again, it’s crazy to think that I won the first one ten years ago – I don’t feel that old!”
© Sportsbeat 2015