Much of that is down to the influence of coach Danny Kerry, who kept his nerve, got the best out of a talent-laden squad and celebrated that most un-British of sporting occurrences – a victory in a penalty shoot-out.

Few would have denied that Great Britain deserved the Gold in Brazil, with Kerry’s side playing a brand of hockey that captured the imagination of both those lucky enough to be in the Deodoro Park and the thousands cheering them on from their sofas back home.

It’s a measure of how fast hockey rose up the national conscience during the first Games held in South America that the start of the Ten o’clock News was delayed so the BBC could take in the penalty shoot-out in full.

Kerry’s influence was clear. He has wrought a quiet revolution since taking over the job 11 years ago and enjoyed his moment in the sun as Great Britain rose from non-qualifiers in Athens in 2004 to the top of the world in Rio.