Our final 'Throwback Thursday' feature before the start of next week's European Athletics Championships takes us back just two years to relive the emotion of Kariem Hussein.
In Amsterdam, sprinter Dafne Schippers will experience arguably the most amazing atmosphere of her life: the golden girl of Dutch athletics competing at a major event in her home country.
Not every competitor goes through this, let alone one who is top of her event, the 100m, and favourite for the title. With the adulation and excitement, comes the pressure of delivering in front of your own people.
For Schippers in 2016, read Kariem Hussein in 2014.
It truly was some Friday night in the rain in Zurich’s Letzigrund Stadium at the last European Athletics Championships as the eight finalists settled into their blocks for the final of the 400m hurdles.
Switzerland had not won a track gold medal for 45 years since Phillipe Clerc’s triumph in the 200m in Athens and a nation held its breath for their man.
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Hussein had moved through the heats impressively, winning his first round race in 49.70 and his semi-final in 49.16, all the time looking the champion-elect.
While Estonian Rasmus Mägi (48.54) and Oskari Moro (49.08) had both broken national records as they progressed from their semis, Hussein was saving his best for the biggest race of his life.
Drawn in lane five, Hussein waited as the silence at the stadium told its own story.
He was quick to break and made the smoothest of starts. He was up on Denis Kudryavtsev, of Russia, in lane six by 150m and by half way he just about had the lead.
And with his slick hurdling, there was no let up in the pace and as they hit the home turn, Hussein was in front with Serbia’s Emir Bekric not far away in lane seven.
With every stride, the crescendo of noise was rising, with Hussein a few metres ahead of Kudryavtsev, Mägi, in lane five, and Bekric, as the last barrier arrived.
Hussein took it in first, then slightly stumbled but never lost his balance or his nerve and crossed the line for a sensational gold in a personal best of 48.96.
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It was an amazing performance, with the Swiss star ‘roaring’ into the microphone as he was interviewed for all the crowd to hear.
It summed up his, and everyone else’s emotion and he was quick to hail the support.
“This is an awesome crowd,” said Hussein. “My start was good, I controlled my rhythm, I stayed relaxed, I was patient, I waited and then I attacked. It’s incredible.
“I wanted it so much. I still cannot believe it, when the crowd supported me so much, I had tears in my eyes.”
But he held firm. He did not let the occasion break him. Instead he broke the field for one of the great victories in the history of the European Athletics Championships.
Dafne...it's over to you.
ZURICH 2014 EUROPEAN ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS
400m Hurdles Final (15 August)
1. Kariem Hussein (SUI) 48.96
2. Rasmus Magi (EST) 49.06
3. Denis Kudryavtsev (RUS) 49.16