The Irish women's relay team's eighth place in the 4x400m final capped off a fine World Athletics Championships for Sharlene Mawdsley and Sophie Becker, the pair hailing it as a week to remember.
With Rhasidat Adeleke ruled out due to injury concerns, the experienced pair were joined by championship newcomers Kelly McGrory and Roisin Harrison.
Having upset the odds to qualify for the final with a season's best time of 3:26.18 on Saturday evening - albeit aided by the United States' baton changeover disaster on the final lap - the Irish team finished eighth in the nine-strong final, with Mawdsley speeding by the French anchor on the final bend.
"We went out there with the aim of beating the French," Mawdsley told RTÉ Sport's Greg Allen afterwards.
"That girl made me work for it. I hate overtaking on the bend and unfortunately that's what I had to do today, which probably cost me a bit of fatigue in the last few metres.
"But I was just pumping my arms until I got to that line."
For Mawdsley in particular, it's been a remarkable week, the Tipperary sprinter emerging as one of the Irish stars, running six 400m races across the mixed relay, her individual 400m and the women's relay.
She already finished sixth alongside Becker, Chris O'Donnell and Jack Raftery in the final of the mixed relay, and ran an individual personal best when qualifying from her heat in the 400m.
"I'm so proud of myself, my training worked," she reflected. "That I was able to produce all those runs in such a short space of time. I'm really grateful that my body is in one piece.
"And a PB on top of it. What more can you ask for in a World Championships. Two finals with two amazing teams, and the support back home."
Becker, who represented Ireland at the mixed relay at the Tokyo Olympics, shrugged off what had been an underwhelming season so far to reach two relay finals in Budapest.
"I have to thank David McCarthy, the women's relay coach, and the girls," Becker said. "He put me in first leg, the girls trusted me in first leg.
"When anyone who's seen most of my season up until the last few days... my season has not gone to plan at all.
"But I think it's taught me to trust myself and trust my body. When it's needed and when it counts, I can perform. Even if the last few months haven't proved that.
"When there's a stadium to perform in and a team supporting me and depending on me, I will give it my best. I wish I could have done a few weeks ago to run an individual race (in the championships).
"I was just thinking of all the championships I've been to. And this champs has by far been my favourite. I've never felt support from a team as I have these last nine days, in the mixed relay and the women's relay.
"And the cherry on top is yeah, we are in the top six mixed relay teams in the world and the top eight best women's relay teams in the world, which is a sentence I never thought I'd say."
