Julien Alfred from St Lucia flew through the Paris rain for a dominant victory in an Olympics women's 100m final just as noteworthy for who wasn't there.
Alfred stopped the clock at 10.72 seconds at Saturday, becoming the first Olympic gold medallist from the tiny Caribbean nation.
It means a lot to me. It means a lot to my coach. It means a lot to my country," said the 23-year-old.
"I’m sure they’re celebrating right now.”
Reigning world champion Sha'Carri Richardson finished strongly to claim the silver in 10.87 ahead of fellow American Melissa Jefferson (10.92).
Jamaica finished outside the medals, having swept the podium in this event at the Tokyo Games.
That was in no small part due to the shock absence of Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce.
The most decorated female sprinter of all time, her Olympic 100m swansong ended in bizarre circumstances when the 37-year-old was a no-show for her semi-final earlier on Saturday.
The Jamaican athletics federation informed World Athletics that Fraser-Pryce - who won the Olympic 100m title in 2008 and 2012 and is a five-time 100m world champion - had suffered an injury.
“We only got the information that she is injured, but (a team doctor) is addressing the matter, and we will speak further on the matter,” team manager Ludlow Watts told the Jamaica Observer.
Adding to confusion, footage emerged of Fraser-Pryce being denied access to the warm-up track ahead of the Saturday evening session at the Stade de France.
The Jamaican team said she was one of several athletes blocked from entering, adding she was eventually let in. Organisers said she'd merely gone to the wrong gate initially.
In a social media post early Sunday morning, Fraser-Pryce thanked her supporters but did not provide specifics about her injury.
“It is difficult for me to find the words to describe the depth of my disappointment,” she posted. “I know that my supporters share and shoulder this disappointment with me. I am truly Blessed to have had the steadfast support of my fans since my Olympic debut in 2008.
“With every step and win, you have all been there for me.”
The only Jamaican to qualify for the 100m final was Tia Clayton who finished seventh.
Elaine Thompson-Herah, Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson swept the women's 100m medals for Jamaica at the Tokyo Olympics.
Thompson-Herah missed the Paris Olympics due to a Achilles tendon injury, while Jackson is focusing on her favoured 200m.
Gold medallist Alfred paid tribute to her late father, who passed away in 2013.
"Dad, this is for you - I miss you," she said.
"I did it for him, I did it for my coach and God."
Although it was a dark night for Jamaica sprinting, it was a terrific one overall for the smaller nations of the eastern Caribbean.
Along with Alfred's 100m gold for St Lucia, Thea Lafond (15.02m) saluted for Dominica in the women's triple jump.
In other finals action on Saturday, the great Femke Bol ran an extraordinary anchor leg, mowing down three runners in the final half lap to give the Netherlands a shock victory in the mixed 4x400m relay.
Ryan Crouser (22.90m) won the shot put gold, with fellow American Joe Kovacs (22.15m) edging Jamaica's Rajindra Campbell for silver on countback.
And Norway had their own Cedric Dubler-Ash Moloney moment in the concluding 1500m in the decathlon, with Sandor Skotheim - who had no-heighted in the pole vault - staying in the competition to pace countryman Markus Rooth to the gold medal.
Dubler famously urged Moloney on to the bronze three years ago in Tokyo.
Australian Dan Golubovic was 19th in the Paris decathlon, while Moloney withdrew after three events due to an adductor injury.
