Angharad Evans won two gold medals for Scotland in the pool and finished the Commonwealth Games swimming meet as Scotland's breakout star. The breaststroke specialist, who describes herself as a "nervous swimmer", added a relay bronze and silver as she ended the Glasgow action with four medals.
Her strategy of keeping expectations low appeared to work as she took double breaststroke gold, first recovering from a slow start before powering to 200m breaststroke gold after winning the 100m on the final night of swimming action, when Scotland claimed four medals.
A couple of hours later, Evans' superb second leg helped Scotland into silver medal position behind Australia in the women's 4x100m medley relay, taking her total at these home games to four. After an imperious performance across the week at a raucous Tollcross, her expectations are unlikely to remain as low again.
Only one of her training partners at Stirling University, Duncan Scott no less, tipped her for big things in Glasgow. Even Evans did not believe it before the meet.
"It's been a big step forward in my career," Evans told BBC Scotland.
"There are things I've battled with this week. I don't hide from my nerves - it's something I'm very open about.
"I'm a very nervous swimmer but I proved to myself that even though I am nervous I can get medals individually and in relays, even when I'm tired on the last day.
"But it makes it a lot easier doing in front of a crowd like that and with your team-mates you train with every day."
Evans, like many of her team-mates, has memories to cherish from these Glasgow Games. After her 200m gold she looked almost stunned as the crowd went nuts around her.
She emerged from the water and tried to take it all in. Her family and boyfriend were scattered around the small arena, but she managed to spot them all and get hugs. There was even a guard of honour with team-mates bedecked in kilts.
It was all so far from what Evans had allowed herself to dream of.
"I disassociate the idea of getting a medal because that's when I operate best," the Cambridge-born athlete said.
"It was a very special moment for me. Going into the Commonwealth Games with no expectations and coming out with two gold medals and a bronze [and silver] in the relay has just been so surreal.
"It just shows the hard work that we've been doing in Stirling."
So, can this be the springboard for more?
"Right now it's just taking a breath and taking it in before we hit Europeans [Championships next week]. We'll see what happens there.
"But as I said, I think this is a really big step forward for me - and hopefully the Europeans will be another step forward. I won't go out without a fight."
Scots cap impressive pool showing
Katie Shanahan, Angharad Evans, Keanna MacInnes, and Evelyn Davis won 4x100m medley relay silver and Scotland's strong pool campaign continued across the final sessions. A Scottish gold made up for the fact Scott missed out on his bid to defend his 200m freestyle title and add a 16th Commonwealth medal, having failed to qualify for the final at the end of a rigorous schedule.
Evans' success was not the only one cheered to the roof of Tollcross. Aberdeen's Toni Shaw stopped an Australian clean sweep of medals in the women's S9 100m freestlye final to replicate the bronze of Birmingham four years ago.
"I had lots and lots of nerves even before the walkout, all day since my heat," Shaw told BBC Scotland.
"But we've got a good support team and they helped me keep my cool and wish me luck. All you can do is swim as fast as you can and that's the mentality I went into the race with."
Meanwhile, Keanna MacInnes added 200m butterfly silver, having also come second in the 100m. The 24-year-old played her part in the relay silver too to take her own tally to three.
As she stood next to her relay team-mates Katie Shanahan, Evans, and Evelyn Davis, the Stirling swimmer reflected on a Games during which Scottish swimmers have delivered 12 medals, four of them gold.
"If you said to me at the start of the week I'd win two medals I'd be over the moon - sneaking that extra mixed medley one last night was special for all of us," MacInnes said.
"We heard it a 100 times, about the crowd being amazing but it absolutely delivered. I'm a proud and patriotic Scot so there's been a lot of tears this week.
"Not only is it 12 medals but there are a lot of golds and silvers, not necessarily sneaking into bronze. That shows the depth.
"There were so many finals with multiple Scots in them. So not just medals but lots of personal and season's bests which shows how good the team has been this week."
