It was one of the greatest finishes in the history of Olympic rowing, but one of the key catalysts behind it had to watch from the shadows, if indeed he was able to watch at all.
When the great 37-year-old campaigner Mahe Drysdale went stroke-for-stroke with the charging 28-year-old Croatian Damir Martin in a pulsating men's single scull final on Rodrigo de Freitas lagoon, the final burst to the line was so close the electronic television monitor initially gave the race to Martin.
After several agonising minutes and microscopic photo-finish analysis, it was decided that by just a couple of inches, Drysdale had won back-to-back Olympic golds.
And with it, the undeniable legacy of his Whanganui coach Richard 'Dick' Tonks was secured.
Tonks had told Drysdale before the race he might not be able to handle watching the final, such was his emotions, and perhaps they had spiralled upwards as a consequence of what mentor and protege had been through together over the previous nine months.
Back in December, looking to expand his horizons after 15 years service to Rowing NZ, Tonks took on a couple of Chinese crews who were training on Lake Karapiro, and found himself rapidly dumped by the organisation he had help lift to the forefront of the sport internationally.
Known as a straight shooter - and one who will not miss any target he is aiming at - Tonks refused to back down and it was only the skilful diplomatic negotiations of the universally respected Drysdale which brought his fuming coach, his former employers, and the NZ Athletes Federation back around a table to hatch out a settlement where Tonks still went to Rio as an independently-contracted coach.
For Drysdale, there was simply no other alternative and not just because eight months out from the Olympics is far too late to alter course with new coaching personnel.
"I couldn't have done it without him," he said at Rodrigo de Freitas.
"I don't think the whole New Zealand rowing programme would be where it is without him.
"As I said then, my best chance in Rio was to be pushed off the pontoon in Rio by Dick.
"He pushed me off the pontoon today and I came back with a gold medal....he's certainly a massive part of my success over the years."
It seems flimsy now to give credence to Rowing NZ's concerns during the big stoush about the Chinese crews learning state secrets from Tonks which would hurt the Kiwi campaign - I don't recall any 'Red' boats getting close to the 'Black' ones in Rio.
Whether a developing talent or proven star, club rower or Olympian, Tonks always approached every project with the same enthusiasm.
But he had a demand - you have to be believe from Day 1 that you can win - because I'm going to push you until you get there.
"That means they don't sit on the start line, look across at the Germans, the English, the Americans and the Russians and think, 'Aw, hell'," Tonks was once quoted.
"Those other crews have to look at our black singlets and know they're going to be under threat."
It always sounded like Tonks preferred the taskmaster approach to the motivational spiel - it was not his job to nurse an ego, but rather set a high bar and make it clear you were a disappointment until you could clear it.
One of his many stars and current Whanganui District Councillor, Phillipa Baker-Hogan, does not always land on point with her fellow councillors in chambers, but she was bang on with her impassioned defence of the man who took her and Brenda Lawson to two world titles.
"A Tonks rower can have a smile a mile wide, simply from receiving a positive grunt from him after a killer workout, when other coaches will say a thousand words to demand the same respect," Baker-Hogan penned.
"He is as happy coaching a committed young club rower as an international and if you really knew him, you would trust him with your life."
You can't make an omelet without breaking a few eggs, and it's fair to say Tonks' style had its share of detractors as well as converts.
Hamish Bond and Eric Murray had a point to prove in Rio as their extraordinary winning streak continued with a second gold in coxless pairs, setting them in a class of their own for all of New Zealand sport.
Bond and especially the effervescent Murray are somewhat free spirits - after their 2012 London success (a 4.46s winning margin) they ended their relationship with Tonks and took on Noel Donaldson as their coach, culminating eight undefeated years with another podium topping this week (by 2.8s).
It has been reported by NZME broadcaster Tony Veitch that the pairs' upcoming book will not speak highly of their former coach's personality and style.
But the flip side of that coin is Drysdale, who after moving to the stewardship of Calvin Ferguson in 2007-8, returned to Tonks to prepare for London 2012 and has never looked back.
"[It's] his sixth Olympic gold medal. It's pretty special. I'm really happy to do it for him as much as for me," he said.
Ultimately, whatever the mixed feelings about his style, Tonks does not have to blow any trumpets - his results speak for themselves.
Joining Rowing NZ in 1999, he took single sculler Rob Waddell to the only 'Black Gold' at Sydney 2000 - a horrible Kiwi campaign of only four medals in total.
Those amazing twins Caroline and Georgina Evers-Swindell went back-to-back in the women's double sculls at Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008, while London 2012 was all about Murray, Bond and Drysdale claiming their golds in the space of one magic hour.
Drysdale's double this weekend took Tonks to six golds and made him our most successful Olympic coach of all time, surpassing the great Arthur Lydiard (four running golds, one bronze) and boardsailing mentor Grant Beck (three golds, a silver, three bronze).
In total, New Zealand rowers have claimed 68 Olympic and world championship medals since Athens 2004 - not all of them were directly under Tonks' watch but his blueprint was undeniably present.
It all makes for an impressive resume the 65-year-old can now take to whichever corner of the globe he chooses, where his methods will still be appreciated.
In an acknowledgement that should have been made earlier in the week, Whanganui had another Olympic coaching success last week when Ian Wright, the 1988 bronze medallist in the coxed four, coached the Swiss team to the men's lightweight four's gold medal.
Switzerland headed off Denmark and France to finish top of the podium, while the New Zealand crew finished fifth.