When it was over she was entitled to wear a smile bright enough to power the national grid.
Instead, Katarina Johnson-Thompson wiped away tears as she dedicated heptathlon gold to the memory of her nan.
Three years of injury misery had left her fearing her days of glory were gone. But on a raucous evening England’s multi-events queen put her career back on track by retaining her Commonwealth title.
In so doing she contributed to perhaps the loudest night British athletics had known since Super Saturday - coincidentally, 10 years ago today.
Eilish McColgan provided the outstanding performance by smashing the Games 10,000m record to win the title her mum Liz had captured in 1986 and 1990.
But no sight was more warmly greeted than that of Johnson-Thompson putting to bed 34 months of frustration inside a packed Alexander Stadium.
She had arrived smarting from a distant eighth place finish in her defence of the world title she won in 2019, wondering whether her body would ever again allow her to challenge for the biggest honours in the sport.
In her second heptathlon in just 18 days she got the answer, turning the page on a dark chapter with a 44.33-metre javelin throw - the longest of her life - to assure her top spot.
Only when she had finished with a total of 6,377 points did the Liverpudlian reveal her secret heartache - that Mary, her mum's mum, had passed away last week.
“It’s been a difficult time,” admitted the 29-year old after beating Northern Irish runner-up Kate O'Connor by a margin of 144 points, with English team mate Jane O’Dowda third.
“She unfortunately passed away a couple of days after I returned [from Eugene] and it’s been a tough week. I’m just happy to get through it.
“It’s been particularly hard because she was there at the last home champs, in Glasgow. it was quite hard not to see her face in the crowd.”
Johnson-Thompson brought childhood memories to the track of Mary making sandwiches for her competitions when she lived with her and KJT’s mum Tracy.
It certainly fired her up as she led after the first day and refused to give up her first win since rupturing an Achilles 18 months ago.
“The message I hope I’ve shown is that no matter how down and out you might feel or mentally not with it it is possible to turn it around,” said Johnson-Thompson.
“Tonight wasn’t about the points, it was about being competitive. It feels incredible, especially this being a home champs. I’ve really put a lot of work and effort, heart and soul to be here.”
McColgan's victory was her first major title at the age of 31 and came after overhauling Kenya's Irine Cheptai in the closing metres.
"This is the most incredible moment of my career," she said. "I couldn't hear myself think or breathe, in that last 100m the crowd carried me."
The atmosphere evoked memories of Super Saturday when Sir Mo Farah was roared to 10,000m victory and London's Olympic Stadium literally shook from the noise generated.
"It's just been such an up and down year with Covid, another illness and a couple of other niggles," McColgan added. "I knew the fitness was somewhere in me but I could not have asked for anything more tonight to have my family here."
