They already shared family, a hometown and their childhoods - but now cousins Donna Urquhart and Cameron Pilley share a mixed doubles squash title at the Commonwealth Games.
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Urquhart and Pilley won gold after defeating Indian pair Dipika Pallikal Karthik and Saurav Ghosal on the Gold Coast on Saturday.
Both a product of Yamba in northern NSW, the Australian duo grew up together but only began dreaming of sharing a home gold after competing as a doubles pairing last year.
"I watched Cameron become a professional player while I was still at school but I knew that's what I wanted to do from seeing him do it," a speechless Urquhart said.
"It wasn't until later on that we ended up playing together, but it's worked out alright."
Dozens of friends and family had travelled up for the Games, while Pilley also had a group of ten in-laws fly all the way from his wife's home in Denmark as part of a capacity Oxenford Studios crowd.
It is the third Commonwealth gold of his career, having won doubles in Delhi and Glasgow.
"Every other gold I've won is so special but to play in front of such a great Aussie crowd, we never get the opportunity to," Pilley said.
"To do it in front of friends and family that never get to see you play, and we walk away with a gold medal, it makes it even better."
Neither side had more than a three-point lead throughout the entire contest, however Australia produced the clutch plays at the pointy end of both sets to eventually win 11-8 11-10.
The host nation was the beneficiary of a number of contentious refereeing decisions that frustrated the Indian pairing - who are siblings by law - into errors.
The gold is the first for Urquhart, who won bronze in Glasgow and also had to overcome the disappointment of being knocked out of the women's double with Rachael Grinham earlier on Saturday.
"I won a bronze eight years ago in Delhi in the women's doubles, but I always imagined what it'd feel like. It's always been a dream of mine to do this," said Urquhart, who will also marry next week.
Australia could add another squash gold on Sunday after Zac Alexander and David Palmer won their final-four clash to book a final against England pair Daryl Selby and Adrian Waller.
Australian Associated Press
