SIR Chris Hoy won a record sixth gold medal for Team GB – and immediately set his sights on bowing out of elite cycling at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
The 36-year-old Scot topped Sir Steve Redgrave's five gold medals by winning the keirin, and said he was thrilled to do so in front of a home crowd.
And he added that finishing his career in Glasgow with a haul of Commonwealth golds would be a "dream" finish.
After last night's heroics, Sir Chris said: "I'm in shock. You try and compose yourself, but it's surreal.
"I wanted to win gold in front of my home crowd. I saw everyone stepping up to the plate and thankfully it worked out for me too.
"The keirin is a lottery and you never take anything for granted in it. I can't describe the feelings I have at the moment.
"This is the perfect end to my Olympic career.
"I can't put into words what it means to me. It's one of the greatest feelings I have ever had.
"I'm 99.9% sure I won't be competing in Rio – how can you top this?
"Glasgow is another question, as that would be the dream ending for me."
The Olympic velodrome saw history being made as Sir Chris became the most successful British Olympian of all time.
It was Sir Chris's second gold medal of the Games after also winning the team sprint.
Born in Edinburgh in 1976 and raised in the city, his parents Carol and David bought him his first bike after he was amazed by the stunts in Steven Spielberg's 1982 classic movie ET.
He has now won 13 world titles during his career, but it is his success at the Olympic Games, and Beijing in particular, that has brought him most acclaim.
At the 2008 Games, he won three gold medals in the team sprint, keirin and individual sprint to make him Britain's most successful Olympian at a single games for 100 years.
Non-cycling honours followed as he was named BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 2008 and awarded a knighthood in the Queen's New Year Honours List.
Glasgow's velodrome for the 2014 Commonwealth Games has been named after the cyclist.
Speaking just moments after his victory, Sir Chris's father David said: "I am just so proud of him on every level.
"I am going to start crying. You bottle everything up, all the emotion in long competitions and then it all comes out.
"I just couldn't be happier for him."
His mother Carol said: "I am over the moon, very much so."
Sir Chris's parents held a banner with the words "Chris Hoy, the real McHoy" written across it as fans waved Union Jack flags.
Sir Chris's gold was the second of the day for the British cycling team after 20-year-old Laura Trott claimed her second gold medal of the Games by winning the women's omnium just an hour earlier.
But the velodrome was also the scene of disappointment as Victoria Pendleton failed in her bid to win a gold in the women's sprint.
The 31-year-old was relegated from her first heat of the final before being beaten in the second by old rival Australian Anna Meares.
stef.lach@heraldandtimes.co.uk