Jake Wightman said his world 1500m silver medal felt like gold after making his return to a global podium, but British team-mate Josh Kerr’s title defence was ruined by a calf injury in a dramatic final in Tokyo.
Wightman, the 2022 world champion, achieved redemption having struggled with injuries and missed the past two major championships.
The 31-year-old collapsed with exhaustion after crossing the line before staring up at the big screen, which revealed Portugal’s Isaac Nader had pipped him to gold by two hundredths of a second in a thrilling finish.
Although he came up agonisingly short, it is a second place which he said felt as good as first after the challenges of recent years – and Britain’s long-awaited first medal of the championships.
“It will take a while to process this. I’m a big believer that you get what you put in at some point. I’m just very, very happy that all the persistence has been well worth it,” Wightman told BBC Sport.
“I felt like I had another gear through the rounds. All I’d said was that I would hit the front at some point. I did not know what would happen and I nearly got there.
“For me this is a gold. Just getting on the start line at a championship final is a gold.
“I went into it with a bit of freedom that whatever would happen, happens.”
However, there was heartbreak for Kerr, seeking to become only the fourth man to retain the 1500m title but denied the opportunity after pulling up in pain on the penultimate lap.
Having positioned himself at the back of the race from the start, he eventually managed to hobble over the line and finished last. Neil Gourley was 10th.
Great Britain have had to wait until the fifth day of competition to celebrate success in Japan, where they were set a target of eight medals following a record-equalling haul of 10 in 2023.
But Wightman’s stunning silver lifted them to 17th in the medal table.