When Jake Wightman crossed the finish line the man on the stadium mic finally could contain himself no more.
“That’s my son and I coach him and he’s the world champion,” said the voice, cracking with emotion. “Running... it’s coming home!”
Geoff Wightman had provided the soundtrack to his son’s races for as long as he could remember, but this was something new.
Jake had just become Britain’s first male champion over 1500 metres since Steve Cram won the inaugural Worlds in 1983.
He had done it by beating the first three in last year’s Olympic final: outthinking, outmanoeuvring and, yes, outclassing them.
Nobody saw that coming yet dad was having to describe it, without bias, to a stadium full of fans in real time.
“The novelty wasn’t in doing that,” said Wightman snr, the voice of track and field in stadia around the world for decades.
“I've been watching Jake’s races since he was a little kid in primary school - actually calling his races since he was 10 as my wife was his PE teacher and I did his sports days.
“We've just taken it to a slightly bigger stadia, slightly bigger crowds and slightly bigger medals!
“So no, the novelty wasn't in that, it was that I have to be impartial otherwise, long after he's gone, I'll not be allowed to do the 1500m.”
Geoff had begun the session as normal, moving seamlessly between events. He described the women's high jump final, then moved onto the men’s 200 metres.
“You get into a certain groove,” he said. “I can't be biased, I have to be impartial. But I was thinking: ‘he’ll be warming up now, he’ll be into the final call room’."
Video later emerged of Geoff calling the final lap, holding it together like the pro he is as his own flesh and blood overhauled Jakob Ingebrigtsen, the Olympic champion, off the final bend.
“It was surreal watching him win gold,” he admitted. “I was thinking: I know that guy. He has a familiar look.”
Only when the race was won and his boy was stood there wondering what the hell had just happened did dad allow his mask to slip.
As wife Susan raced up to the commentary box waving a Union flag, he dropped into his seat and needed a moment to regather himself.
“Was there a little lump in the throat? Yeah,” Geoff admitted. “When Jake was being interviewed and I saw my wife down there.
“Greatest moment of my life? Well, the birth of him and his brother and sister, and my wedding day, I would have to sort of put them first.
“Sporting wise, yeah. Yeah. But this is his achievement. I’m just the Captain Mainwaring figure in the background blethering away.”
