Kyle Chalmers has been dethroned as the Commonwealth Games 100m freestyle king in Glasgow, the 'Big Tuna' reeled in by young friend and rival Flynn Southam in a landmark changing-of-the-guard moment.
With a potential record-breaking 10th Commonwealth gold in his sights, Chalmers had his proud run of never being beaten by an Australian in major international competition dismantled by 21-year-old Southam in the Tollcross pool.
Southam's glory, fuelled by indignation at being dismissed as just a relay workhorse, set the tone for yet another magisterial five-gold night for the Dolphins as they equalled their record tally of titles at any Games with 28 -- and there's still one more day left to blitz the Gold Coast tally.
"It's pretty incredible," Southam said.
"I had a lot of people doubting me and saying my success only comes from relays, and that's really pissed me off and motivated me to be the best in the world."
Jenna Forrester sealed a golden treble in her remarkable breakthrough meet, adding a 200m medley win to her surprise 200m backstroke and 400m IM titles, while 400m and 1500m queen Lani Pallister completed her freestyle distance hat trick with the 800m title in a Games record 8 minutes 11.12 seconds.
The session was book-ended by Queenslander Kirralee Hayes opening up with a para 50m freestyle S13 final win, with teammate Jenna Jones taking bronze, and the quartet of Iona Anderson, Sam Williamson, Matt Temple and Meg Harris ending with mixed 4x100 medley relay gold.
But Southam was the standout, the young Fremantle-born, NSW-raised prospect finally fulfilling his potential as the most likely successor to 'King Kyle', clocking a searing 47.13 seconds to bronze medallist Chalmers' 47.74. The pair were split by Welshman Matt Richards (47.64).
And while the gracious Chalmers was left pondering if he'd go on to the Los Angeles Games, Southam made it clear he was the future, even if he hopes their rivalry flourishes.
"It's my time to shine, and I know that," boomed Southam.
"I've been due for this, and this is my breakout meet. Four years ago, I came here as a little boy -- but now I'm a man, and I belong here.
"Kyle's had a pretty tough year, it's the first year of being a dad, I know that's pretty impressive that he's even here competing.
"But I want to see Kyle back at his biggest and his baddest and his bestest -- I'd love to see that rivalry continue!"
Chalmers, cheered on by his wife, Norwegian international swimmer Ingeborg Loyning with baby daughter Astrid, couldn't land the 10th gold and 12th medal that would have taken him past the great Ian Thorpe as Australia's most successful men's swimmer ever at the Games.
Port Lincoln's 28-year-old maestro still has a chance, though, in the 50m butterfly final, for which he's qualified fastest, on the final day of competition. It shapes as his farewell to the Games.
Admitting he knew the passing-of-the-baton moment was coming, Chalmers, the first to congratulate the young gun, shrugged: "I'm completely fine with it.
"In the medal presentation, I really said, 'you know, this is your moment. I'm so proud of you, enjoy your moment, enjoy singing the anthem'.
"I truly am so proud of him."
Southam had signalled his intentions at the start of the week when he clocked a sizzling lead-off relay leg of 47.09, which was just a hundredth-of-a-second slower than Chalmers' all-time best and quicker than the South Australian star's 2026 best by half a second.
"Doubt always comes up, I was doubting myself as I was walking out, but it's about being able to turn that voice down and believing in yourself," Southam said.
"I have Australia on my cap, I don't have just my name, so it's bigger than me."
Dolphins' medals came in profusion, Anderson, in the 50m backstroke, 17-year-old Sienna Toohey in the 50m breaststroke and William Petric in the 400m IM all earning silvers.
New Zealander Lewis Clareburt took gold in the medley, and was honoured with his teammates doing a poolside haka for him.
Zac Stubblety-Cook, in the 200m breaststroke, took bronze as 18-year-old Filip Nowacki won the tiny Channel Island of Jersey's first Commonwealth title for 36 years, while Aussie Molly Walker was third in the 800m free.