When Games time was over Jake Jarman led the England team out for its final curtain call. Jarman, an athlete few had heard of a fortnight ago, a gymnast who only made the reserve list for last summer’s Olympics.
Yet the 20-year-old was a perfect choice for the host nation; an over achiever at a sporting festival exceeding every expectation.
Nobody saw him winning four gold medals - the most by an Englishman at the same Games for 24 years. Just as no-one imagined Birmingham so spectacularly reviving interest in a Commonwealth showpiece many view as past its sell-by date.
Short on stardust it might have been, with too many headliners choosing to stay away. But for 11 days in and around Britain’s second city 1.5 million spectators filled every stadium, arena, aquatics centre and road side.