Michael Shelley joined elite company when he outran the Africans to win the marathon and extend Australia's slim lead on the Commonwealth Games medal table.
The 30-year-old Queenslander went one better than his surprise silver medal in Delhi four years ago when he surged to victory on a wet Glasgow Sunday morning in a personal best time of two hours 11 minutes and 15 seconds.
It was a clever and courageous performance from Shelley was undaunted after being dropped by a troupe of seven Africans an hour into the race, passing them all and finishing 43 seconds clear of Kenya's Stephen Chemlany - a sub 2:07 marathoner.
Shelley joins Dave Power (1958), Robert de Castella (1982 and 1986) and Steve Moneghetti (1994) as the only Australians to have won the Commonwealth men's marathon.
And there was more delight for Australia when Jess Trengove reeled in Namibia's Helalia Johannes to claim third in the women's race in a personal best of 2:30:12, behind the Kenyan one-two of Flomena Daniel (2:26:45) and Caroline Kilel (2:27:10).
With a ding-dong battle developing for medal table supremacy between longtime No.1 Australia and England, Shelley's gold was a handy boost.
It put Australia two clear on gold medals with 19.
Shelley was stunned by his own achievement.
"I've got to pinch myself, it is very exciting. To come back and actually win is indescribable," Shelley said.
"Now I have had a bit more experience, to come away with my first win is indescribable."
"You just try to run the best you possibly can and it was a dream to be honest. I'm still buzzing, I can't believe it."
Shelley admitted it took a long time to start believing he could actually win the race.
"It probably wasn't until a kilometre out that I got a bit of a feeling. I just kept pushing on. My main idea was to stay relaxed and I was always there in the lead group.
"At 35k there was a surge. I just had to stay strong and it paid off."
Sixteen of Australia's gold have come in swimming and cycling.
Four came in the pool on Saturday, including Emma McKeon's third for the Games.
Her relay gold comes after her 200m freestyle and 4x100m relay wins, while she also nabbed a surprise 100m butterfly bronze on Saturday.
"I never thought I would have four medals (at this stage of the meeting) - I am still a bit shocked about my butterfly medal," said McKeon, who still has more medal chances in the medley relay and 100m freestyle to come.
Annette Edmondson and Scott Sunderland continued Australia's success in the track cycling, while Anna Meares and Stephanie Morton will ride for gold in the women's sprint on Sunday after winning their semi-finals on Saturday.
With a lap to go in the kilo time trial, Sunderland was behind the Games record pace set by New Zealander Matthew Archibald in the heat before him, but roared home in the last 250m to reclaim the record he set in winning gold four years ago in Delhi.
Edmondson's gold in the 10km scratch race adds to the silver she won in the individual pursuit, to match her younger brother Alex's haul.
Shooter Daniel Repacholi said he had to overcome some nerves to win gold with his final shot in the men's 10m air pistol at Carnoustie, Australia's second shooting gold.
Australia reached Sunday's semi-finals of the men's triples in the lawn bowls and had a comfortable 7-1 win over Wales in men's hockey, while lightweight Nick Cooney and middleweight Mark Lucas kept up Australia's undefeated record in the boxing ring.
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