Caryl Kennett struggled to find words to describe how she felt about the New Zealand men's pursuit team winning gold at the world track championships in Paris yesterday.
Her son, Dylan (20), was part of the foursome that pipped Great Britain in a thrilling gold medal race.
She watched the race live on television with her husband, Craig, at their Waimate house.
''It was very exciting stuff, just brilliant,'' she said.
''I just hope everybody gets to watch it because it was so nail-biting. They were gunning for gold, they were going against three experienced Olympians, so it was just awesome.
''The Olympics is the pinnacle, but this is the next step towards that. Words can't really describe it.''
Dylan Kennett, Pieter Bulling, Alex Frame and Regan Gough clocked a national record 3min 53.915sec over 4000m to edge out Great Britain, which crossed the line in 3min 54.088sec.
The Kiwis started strongly and held the slimmest of leads at the halfway mark, before Great Britain upped the ante and briefly hit the front.
However, New Zealand quickly turned it around over the final 800m to claim gold.
Kennett was just as excited as his mother after the race.
''Beating Great Britain in the final is the stuff you dream of, after they have had so much success,'' he said.
''They're the Olympic champions the last two Olympics. Having the Aussies on the third step is a pretty special feeling, to have beaten those two teams.''
Earlier, New Zealand beat Switzerland in one semifinal, while Great Britain beat Germany in the other.
Kennett, who went to Waimate High School in year 7-8 before finishing secondary school at Waitaki Boys' High School, took up cycling seven years ago.
He learned his trade on the outdoor track at Victoria Park in Waimate, before taking up Monday night cycling in the town.
He had some ''really good Waimate people helping him out'' in the early days, and after years of taking her son up and down the country to compete, it was all worth it, his mother said.
Kennett has been based with Bike NZ in Cambridge since the start of last year.
Southland sprinter Eddie Dawkins won New Zealand's other medal yesterday, silver in the keirin behind five-time world champion Francois Pervis, of France.
Otago's Katie Schofield clocked a personal best 34.595sec to finish 12th in the 500m time trial.
New Zealand is third on the medal table with one gold and two silver.
