Cool and impervious to pressure, Mack Horton put expectations aside to get Australia off the mark in the Commonwealth Games' gold medal column, racing the way he wanted in the men’s 400m freestyle event.
Many accolades were on offer for the Olympic champion; a win on home soil and the chance to become the first swimmer since Ian Thorpe - way back in Manchester in 2002 - to win Commonwealth Games gold for Australia in this event.
With a cool head and no intention to spend his afterburners in the early stages, Horton produced a clinic of control to beat English rival, James Guy, and compatriot Jack McLaughlin.
Australia once had ruled the pool in the middle distance race but since Thorpe in 2002, it has been slim pickings - no golds and just a smattering of minor medals. However, Horton broke the 16-year drought on the Gold Coast and confirmed his status as the world’s premier middle distance swimmer by clawing back the lead after being in third place at the 200m mark.
Guy went out hard — so hard in fact that he was under world record pace through 200m - with McLaughlin, the national 1500m freestyle champion, sitting patiently on his shoulder.
But the real master race plan was unfolding in lane four as Horton allowed the others to take flight, while he remained solely focussed on executing his own race tactics.
"Whenever I race I want to feel like I'm in control and part of that is telling yourself you're in control and I felt like I was in control the whole race," he said.
Horton steadily turned the screws and by the 300m mark, he had overtaken his compatriot, before accelerating mercilessly past Guy. On the turn for the final 50m he was half a length in front. This was the procession the crowd had anticipated.
That half-length would not be forfeited, with Horton powering home to take the gold.
Somewhat sceptical of his rival's approach, Horton said Guy's all-guns-blazing tactic in the first half of the race would always leave the door open for his own tactic of accelerating late on.
“If you’re going to go out that hard, they’re going to sting a lot more on the way home,” he said.
Surprisingly, Horton rated this win over his Rio Olympic triumph.
“Swimming in front of your home crowd is unreal. I probably feel more emotion winning here than in Rio because of everyone cheering for you.”
“That didn’t happen in Rio!"
