Under-rated Mark Lewis-Francis won a surprise European Championships 100 metres silver medal when finishing behind Christophe Lemaitre in Barcelona on Wednesday.
The former world junior champion upstaged teammate Dwain Chambers who finished fifth, although clocking the same time as himself of 10.18 seconds in a blanket finish.
Lemaitre, who heads the European rankings with a time of 9.98sec and despite a poor start, won in time of 10.11sec with his French colleague Martial Mbandjock third.
Lewis-Francis, only included in the Aviva GB team for the event after impressing UK Athletics head coach Charles van Commenee at pre-championships training camp in Portugal, returned in full the confidence shown in him.
The Olympic relay gold medallist, his career blighted by injury in recent years, said: “I got to the final on a lucky star and I got to these championships on a lucky star.
"2010 is my year, I am the happiest man in the world, I cannot complain – I said I’d take fourth place before the final and I ended up with second."
The 27-year-old, coached by former Olympic champion Linford Christie, added: “We stuck to the plan in training for the individual and I was able to run it.
"I knew it was going to be tough to go out there and do anything crazy. I just wanted to go out there and enjoy the moment.
"For me to come here and finish second when I was told I wouldn't make the final, I am so happy. For all the knocks I have taken this is the biggest comeback ever and the biggest boost.
"It is a new beginning, this is the rebuilding of Mark Lewis-Francis. I hope I have answered some of the critics."
Lewis-Francis insisted: "Linford was my inspiration from when I was a kid. To be coached by him is an honour, he motivated me all the way through my races."
Chambers, who was joint favourite with Lemaitre but faded in the final few metres, said: “Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose – the main guy Christophe Lemaitre came here and did what he had to do.
“Mark deserves to have got a medal – all I can do is just smile about it. I’d just had to rely on my experience and my experience kept me relaxed but wasn’t good enough to win.”
Chambers, the 2002 champion who had to return his gold medal after testing positive for the steroid THG the following year, admitted he was disappointed on not getting a podium finish.
"I was just glad to be a part of it," he added. "It's been a struggle to get here, you can't win them all and I did the best I could.
"Of course I mind. Life goes on and I am confident I should get a few more races this year.
"The main thing is Mark did well and he has battled really well to get back. It's unlucky for me but I enjoyed it and it's good to compete on the European stage."