Alex Botterill believes pinpoint positioning propelled him into the Commonwealth final – as teammate Max Burgin failed to qualify.
York star Botterill, 26, advanced to the 800m final with a polished performance in Glasgow.
But there was a shock exit for Burgin, 24, as the Halifax ace finished fifth in his semi-final at Scotstoun.
Botterill had finished third in his race with a time of 1:45.39 to safely book his place in Saturday’s showpiece.
But moments after, Burgin faded in the closing stages to scrape home in a time of 1:45.61.
Burgin was a finalist in the World Championships in Tokyo last year but was unable to emulate those exploits here, taking a tumble on the finish line in a dramatic finish.
But it was job done for Botterill, a gold medallist in the Commonwealth Youth Games in Nassau back in 2017.
"It was great – it’s what we planned and what we wanted," said Botterill, one of the 251 Team England stars in Glasgow supported by National Lottery funding.
"This is my first major since I was a youth nine years ago, so I just wanted to make it as easy as possible through the rounds and put myself in a position to qualify for the final.
"I held on nicely – there are some really good guys there, and a few of them will have missed out, so I’ve got to be pleased with myself.
"It was definitely close, but what separated me, and the athletes behind me, was positioning – which is massive in this sport, especially when it’s not too quick."
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