National record holder Catriona Bisset's soaring expectations were measured by frustration after her seventh dip under the magical two-minute mark in the women's 800m at the Brisbane Track Classic.
On a night when charismatic Kiwi Edward Osei-Nketia ambushed Australia's fastest man Rohan Browning in the 100m, there was joy for the home crowd in Bisset's world-class performance and the extension of Michelle Jenneke's rousing domestic campaign.
And pole vaulter Kurtis Marshall provided the highlight of the field events with a meet record 5.85m, the highest vault in Australia in more than a decade.
In her first major race since returning from a European campaign, Bisset was pushed all the way by big improver Ellie Sanford to win in one minute 59.74 seconds.
For years the two-minute mark was a tough milestone to crack for Australian women but Bisset now does it routinely.
Two years ago she would have been delighted but now anything outside the postcode of her 1:58.09 national record is met with a shake of the head.
"I feel like there's a lot more there," the 29-year-old said.
"It's almost like 1:59 is my bad day and I feel a bit frustrated to be honest.
"I'm grateful. But I finish, shake my head, and think, 'damn I didn't quite nail that'."
Browning was frustrated, but for a different reason after his first defeat over 100m this season.
He was never in the hunt, clocking 10.29 seconds behind Nketia who ran a season-best 10.13.
The event was Nketia's final race before commencing a football scholarship with the University of Hawaii.
"These things happen," Browning lamented.
"I'm always tinkering, tinkering with the start, trying to make it more efficient but I butchered it today."
Browning has just days to turn things around ahead of the Australian Track and Field Championships in Brisbane, starting on Thursday.
A month after setting a personal best 5.91m in France, Marshall soared to another fine performance.
It was the best vault in Australian soil since Olympic gold medallist Steve Hooker in 2010.
Jenneke said she had low expectations ahead of the Brisbane leg of the World Athletics Continental Tour.
She joked it was past her bedtime yet she still managed a world-class 12.81 in the women's 100m hurdles ahead of Celeste Mucci (12.92) and Hannah Jones (12.98).
In the men's long jump, Darcy Roper revelled in the still conditions to leap a season best 8.05m.
