PARIS: Torri Huske said it was "surreal" after stunning American teammate and world record-holder Gretchen Walsh to clinch the women's 100m butterfly gold medal on Sunday.
Walsh turned first to the roars of a sell-out crowd at La Defense Arena and seemed destined for glory but Huske chased her down to touch in 55.59 seconds.
"It's very surreal," said Huske after winning her second Paris medal, having been part of the United States' silver-medal winning 4x100m freestyle relay team on Saturday.
"I don't really remember my race that much. My first 50 felt good, and then I've been really working on my second 50 a lot, especially after last year.
"I've kind of had a weak finish and died in my race, like lost it all in the last 50, so I really wanted to have a good, strong last 50.
"It's just very overwhelming when you've been training for this moment for so long."
Walsh had to settle for second, with China's Zhang Yufei adding bronze to her Tokyo Olympic silver.
Canadian defending champion Maggie Mac Neil finished fifth and Australia's Emma McKeon, the queen of the pool in Tokyo with seven medals, came sixth.
Walsh was heavily favoured after announcing herself to the world at the US trials last month.
Coming off a record-setting collegiate season for the University of Virginia, she shattered Sarah Sjoestroem's eight-year-old world best and has clocked the three fastest times ever.
But Huske has more experience of the big occasion and used it to her advantage in an arena sounding more like a football stadium.
"It might not have been the time I was necessarily looking for, but to even medal at my first Olympics is something that I don't think many people get to say. I'm honoured, truly," said Walsh.
"I'm so proud of Torri, she has worked so hard for that. I'm proud of myself. That was what America needed and wanted. It was a really special moment we shared up there on the podium."--AFP