Ciara Mageean took pride in running the "perfect race" in the world final of the women's 1500m but said she was "so disappointed" to finish fourth and just outside the medals in Budapest.
After a stunning performance, Mageean left herself in with a shout of a medal coming down the home straight, with the prospect of becoming only the third Irish medallist in the World Championships on the track a very live prospect.
In a world class field, the Portaferry runner drove for the line but was just edged out of the medal places, falling marginally behind Netherlands Sifan Hassan in third.
The race was won by the heavy favourite, Kenya's Faith Kipyegon, with Ethiopia's Diribe Welteji taking silver.
For Mageean, it was the run of her life and a new national record time of 3:56.61.
Speaking afterwards to RTÉ Sport's Greg Allen in Budapest, Mageean said the pride in her performance was tinged with disappointment at falling agonisingly short of a medal.
"You know, It's amazing. You dream of moments like this. But I always dreamed of the medal. There's many a year when if somebody said you're going to come fourth in the world, I'd have taken off their hand.
"I've come fourth and I'm so disappointed. I'll try not to cry.
"I came into this championship with an aim to be on that podium, to see the tricolour raised. To do everybody at home proud.
"I'm so disappointed and so sorry to fall short of that aim.
"But I know I've placed myself well and truly among the best 1500 metre runners in the world. It's where I belong and it's where the Irish belong.
"This is a good place to be going into the Olympics next year. So I know where my sights are firmly set."
It represents another high watermark for Mageean, who took silver medals in the European and Commonwealth Games in 2022. GB's Laura Muir, who pipped Mageean to gold in Munich last summer, had to give second best to the Irish woman here, finishing in sixth.
Ranked ninth in the field on the basis of her season's best, Mageean planted herself near the head of the field early on, nestling just behind Kipyegon in the opening lap and remaining close to the front for the entire race.
"I believe I tactically ran a perfect race," said Mageean. "I got myself in there behind Faith and I stayed there. And I kept my position. Didn't let anybody bully me out of it.
"Unfortunately, it's something more in that last 200 that I wanted that just wasn't there. But I don't think I could look at that race and say tactically I could do anything different.
"I feel like I'm a very astute racer. I'm very good at racing whatever race is in front of me. Be it fast, slow. Tactical. Boxed-in. I know I'm ready for everything. I've got a fantastic amount of racing behind me and I feel confident in my ability out there on the track.
"That was a perfect race on my part, just fallen a little short."
Mageean, who thanked her team and everybody watching at home for their support, said her only regret was not having enough in the tank to overhaul Hassan in the finish.
"If I could wish and dream, what more I could do was to have a little bit of something in that final straight to pass the girl in front. Unfortunately, I didn't have it there today.
"But I gave everything out there. I have to walk away with my head held high that that was absolutely everything I could throw at it. I was willing myself on down that home straight, just begging my legs to go that bit faster.
"Fourth in the world is pretty good for a wee girl from Portaferry. But I definitely wanted that medal."
