Alistair Cragg and David Gillick both won gold medals at the European Indoor Championships in Madrid on a glorious evening for Irish athletics.
Cragg stormed to an emphatic victory in the final of the 3,000m final while Gillick clinched gold in the 400m.
South African-born Cragg, the fastest 3,000m man in the world this year, produced a fantastic display of front running, making his break with over a kilometre of the race remaining to destroy the field.
The US-based star followed in the footsteps of fellow Irishman Mark Carroll, winner of the title five years ago, clinching the gold medal in a time of 7:46.32.
Former champion John Mayock of Britain, at the sprightly age of 34, held off Spanish number one Reyes Estevez, widely tipped before the race to be Cragg’s biggest threat, for second place.
Mayock, fourth coming into the last bend, powered past Gunther Weidlinger of Austria and Estevez, beating off the latter's challenge by just 0.19secs.
33-year-old Carroll, meanwhile, who came into the Irish side as a late entry, finished ninth in 7:57.56.
A delighted Cragg said afterwards: "The temperature and the whole arena in here wasn't conducive to fast distance running.
"And when I went with six left to go, even the likes of Reyes Estevez couldn't come with me, and he's one of the distance greats."
Earlier, in a physical 400 final, Gillick fended off the challenge of Spain's David Canal who had the vociferous support of the home crowd to finish in 46.30seconds - Ireland's first ever sprint success at these championships.
Gillick produced a tremendous turn of pace off the last bend and forced himself to the front to beat Canal by 0.34secs, with Germany's Sebastian Gatzka third in 46.88secs.
"Right now I feel a little tired, but I enjoyed it," said the Dubliner. "Canal went off very hard on the first lap, but I just waited. I can't believe it."
"Before the race I felt very nervous. I knew on paper that I could get a medal but it's a different thing to come out running and get a medal.
"Right now I feel amazing, brilliant," he added.
