CHRISTINE Ohuruogu knelt on the track and shook her head in apparent disbelief. Then after rolling around in what resembled the recovery position for a couple of minutes she set off on a lap of honour. Union flag draped around her shoulders. The widest smile in China upon her face. Redemption in her heart.
The girl who had let down British athletics when she was banned for missing three drugs tests had won Britain's first, perhaps only, athletics gold of these Olympic Games.
In the toughest of races. In the most dramatic and courageous of fashions.
Only those with a heart of stone could not have cheered.
True, in some quarters this 400m triumph would not have been the most celebrated medal of Britain's burgeoning haul of metal.
Many still say 'Christine O,' as she is known, should not have been allowed to compete at these Games after missing three out-of-competition drugs tests, one in October 2005 and two in June 2006, even though she served a one-year ban.
Those who believe zero tolerance is the only way to deal with the scourge of drugs in sport deplore the fact that her lifetime ban by the BOA from competing at the Olympics was overturned on appeal.
But the moment Ohuruogu came around the final bend the only thing to be seen was the Olympic spirit of courage and determination as she became the first British woman to triumph in athletics' most punishing sprint.
This was the race in which Ann Packer had taken silver in 1964 and Lillian Board had come second in Mexico in 1968 when favourite for gold, only for her underachievement to be explained with the onset months later of the cancer which killed her.
Forty years later the way Ohuruogu won was true to the legacy of brave Lillian.
Deep into the final straight she was three metres or more down on her main rival, Sanya Richards of the United States. But Ohuruogu did not panic. She backed her stamina and strength against the American's superior speed.
Most of all she kept her nerve and as Richards tired the distinctive British vest closed inexorably until when the line arrived Ohuruogu was clear and home in 49.62 seconds with Shericka Williams of Jamaica in second and Richards having been relegated to the bronze.
How sweet that must have been for the girl, born of Nigerian parents and who comes from London and was to be the face of London 2012.
Ohuruogu always maintained her innocence of any drugs offences. No-one seriously believed she took performance-enhancing drugs. But that did not stop her being vilified in some quarters, made worse by the fact that she never appeared apologetic for her lapse in memory.
Those thoughts were compounded when it was reported the strong-willed 24-year-old was considering running for Nigeria instead of Britain, something she denied and surely her commitment could never be doubted. If the BOA had their way Ohuruogu would not have been in Beijing this balmy night, the gold medal would not have swung from her neck and British athletics would not have joined the triumphant rush to glory instigated by the imperious cyclists.
I know the zero-tolerance folk will disagree but as the fans cheered and Ohuruogu smiled a golden smile the thought persisted that would have been a dreadful price to pay for three forgetful moments.
"I don't know where I am right now," said Ohuruogu after her win. "You never think it's a reality, it's something you dream about. As I came across the line I thought 'Oh my gosh' – I don't know what to say.
"I saw my brothers in the crowd (as I crossed the line]. It was so good to see them but I'm just so proud of myself.
"It's hard but my coach (Lloyd Cowan] has always taught me that you have to go in expecting to win."
Britain's former Olympic stars were quick to hail Ohuruogu's 400m win.
Olympic 1,500m silver medallist Steve Cram led the tributes telling the BBC: "I think the great thing about this fantastic victory is that no one can say her world championships victory last year was a fluke.
"Christine's an almost reluctant hero but when you get her on a big stage she always performs. It's easy to panic when you're out there but she didn't. She's strong and we saw that when she powered down the home straight. She's made for the big occasions."
Triple-jump world-record holder Jonathan Edwards, Olympic champion in Sydney eight years ago, was just as fulsome in his praise. "I think she's an incredible athlete," he said.
"She came here and got better and better and I'm thrilled for her."
The full article contains 801 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
