Scott Evans has described the backdrop to his "crazy and insane" Rio defeat of Brazilian Ygor Coelho de Oliveira as he reflected on his Olympic Games odyssey.
The Dubliner battled back from a set down to become the first Irishman to win an Olympic badminton match when he toppled Marc Zwiebler - a victory that prompted Evans to tear off his shirt in ecstasy.
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He followed that up a 2-1 victory over De Oliveira that earned his a place in the last 16.
Denmark's world No 4 Viktor Axelsen, who went on to earn the bronze medal, ended Evans' dream but he returned to Ireland having written himself into the history books, with that clash against the home favourite an occasion the 28-year-old will ever forget.
“It was a crazy experience," Evans told RTÉ Radio 1's Saturday Sport.
"When there are a lot of people there booing like crazy it gets a little bit nerve-racking"
"I kind of expected myself to beat him. I know I’m a lot better players than him, but the crowd played a huge role in that game.
"Three of the top coaches in the world who I know well came to me the day of the match and said, ‘you need to be ready because the crowd is going to be insane’.
"The minute I walked out on the court everyone started booing me; the whole stadium. The badminton hall is quite close together – there’s three courts and three stands, it’s very, very close.
"So when there are a lot of people there booing like crazy it gets a little bit nerve-racking. It kind of got me in the second set. I ended up losing it 21-19 but I was able to come through. Putting myself in the last 16 was an amazing feeling."
Although Evans defied the crowd's jeering to bask in the glory a sweet victory, it was his manic, shirt-removing celebration against Zwiebler in the previous game that captured the public's imagination.
That breakthrough was a long time coming - the German had beaten him the previous eight times they'd met - and Evans admitted he was simply overcome with joy afterwards: "I don’t even know what happened. I’ve watched the clip a couple of times.
"I was just so happy that I was able to beat Marc. They type of player Marc is, he always brings a good game to the court. I’ve lost to him eight times out of eight, in big moments as well.
"When you come up against a player like that you have always bring your A-game to even have a chance of beating him.
"The fact that it was my third Olympics, I had maybe thought I would not go for another one, this was my last one, my parent were there, I'd a couple of friends in the crowd... loads of things came into it. I was overjoyed."
Of his (almost) full Monty, Evans added: "I don’t even know why the shirt came off. I just thought, ‘get this off’.
"I’ve had quite a few people say they don’t recognise me with my shirt off!"
