Still holding the baton after the fastest 4 x 100m relay in history, Bolt performed British hero Mo Farah’s trademark salute by putting his hands on top of his head in an M shape.
He repeated the gesture for TV cameras in tribute not only to Mo but to spectators too.
Delighted by the reception he has received, he said: “Everybody in England, I’d like to thank you for your support — I wish I could run in England every day.
“For me it has been an honour. It was wonderful — I am just so happy.
“It was beautiful to end on this note. It’s a wonderful feeling and it has been a great championships.”
Led home by Bolt, the Jamaican team set a world record of time 36.84 seconds in front of 80,000 roaring spectators at the Olympic Stadium in Stratford, East London.
The US team was beaten into second spot and Trinidad and Tobago ran in third. The triumph added to the golds Bolt won in Sunday’s 100m final and Thursday’s 200m.
And it meant he had successfully defended all his Beijing titles from four years ago.
Spectators including Arnold Schwarzenegger were wowed as Bolt zoomed to victory along with Nesta Carter, 26, Michael Frater, 29, and Yohan Blake, 22. Flag-waving Jamaican fans cheered the foursome on a lap of honour and one excited female fan had to be held back as she tried to clamber on to the track.
Looking at the finishing time, Bolt joked: “I know it was possible we could have gone even faster but we have to leave some room for improvement!” His glorious Games had begun with winning the showpiece 100m in 9.63 seconds — a fraction behind his own 9.58 world record.
He then romped to 200m fame in 19.32 seconds, again just outside his own world record.
As he crossed the line that night he raised a finger to his lips as if to silence critics who had doubted his fitness. He said: said: “I’m now a legend. I am the greatest athlete to live.
“To all the people who doubted me, who thought I would lose here, you can stop talking now. I am a living legend.”
Earlier in the week The Sun told how Bolt had begged Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson for a trial at the Old Trafford club.
The 6ft 5in star was backed by club captain Rio Ferdinand who said he would put in a word with his hardline boss.
Bolt said at the time: “People think I am joking. But if Alex Ferguson called me up and said, ‘OK let’s do this, come and have a trial’, it would be impossible for me to say No.
“I would not take up the challenge if I didn’t think I was good enough. I know I could make a difference. I would be the fastest player in the team — but I can play as well.”
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