Twenty-eight minutes. Three gold medals. One piece of history.

Great Britain produced its most successful World Athletics Indoor Championships ever on Sunday evening in Torun, Poland, with three athletes reaching the top of the podium in rapid succession.

Georgia Hunter Bell started it. The 32-year-old, who was working in tech sales just two years ago, stormed to her first global title in the 1500m, reeling in Ethiopia’s Birke Haylom before bursting clear on the final lap to win in 3:58.53.

“This time two years ago I was working in tech sales, now I’m a world champion,” Hunter Bell told BBC Sport. “It is such a relief.”

Minutes later, Molly Caudery cleared 4.85m to reclaim the pole vault title she first won in Glasgow two years ago. It was redemption after a brutal stretch: a shock exit at the Paris Olympics, then an ankle injury in the warm-up at last year’s World Championships that left her leaving the arena in tears.

“Six weeks ago I couldn’t even get off the ground. I was in a really dark place,” Caudery said. “To come here and do this today means more than anybody knows.”

Then came Keely Hodgkinson. The Olympic champion and world record holder dominated the 800m final from the front, winning in a championship record 1:55.30 — the second-fastest time ever run over the distance indoors.

“I’m just happy and healthy to finish and, finally, to come into a championships as favourite and actually finish on top,” said Hodgkinson.

Combined with Josh Kerr’s 3000m triumph on Saturday, the four golds surpass Britain’s previous best of three from 1999. A Super Sunday, indeed.

Sources