Kelly Holmes carried the Union flag into the Olympic Stadium which appropriately had been turned into a field of golden wheat for much of the night.

She wore the biggest smile in the whole of Greece.

No wonder. The job had been completed, Olympic gold had come true, not once, but twice, in the 800metres and 1500metres, and now it was time to party in her very own field of dreams.

And that is exactly what she did along with the remainder of the 10,500 athletes who had taken part in the most expensive, most security-conscious Olympic Games in history.

The theme of Sunday's Closing Ceremony was a celebration of humanity, filled with Greek song and dance and as anyone knows who has been island-hopping in this part of the world that's what the Greeks tend to do best.

It took 100 man hours to plant the 45,000 individually planted stalks of wheat and somehow that was testament to the colossal and desperate scramble to get Athens 2004 ready on time.

As is traditional at the end of the Olympics the athletes marched into the stadium without distinction of nationality as Athens prepared to hand over to Beijing 2008.

More than 230,000 balloons were released, fireworks lit up the Athenian sky and the strains of 'Zorba the Greek,' Athens' equivalent of 'Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, oi, oi, oi,' filled the air for what seemed like the millionth time this fortnight.

And while IOC president Jacques Rogge fell short of describing the Games as "the best ever," which also has become something of a tradition, he was fulsome in his praise of an Olympics whose challenge was not just to put on a festival of sport but to contend with the uncertainties of a dangerous world and the scourge of cheating.

The menace was brought home in a dramatic moment during the men's marathon shortly before the closing ceremony began when Irishman Cornelius Horan, who ran down Hangar Straight at Silverstone during the Grand Prix wearing a priest's habit, burst on to the course to barge the then-leader, Brazil's Vanderlei de Lima, off the road.

Thankfully, de Lima was unhurt but, concentration broken, he finished third behind gold medallist Italy's Stefano Baldini. They received their medals from Rogge midway through the closing ceremony, Lima receiving a special 'De Coubertin' award for fair play for the phlegmatic manner in which he handled the incident.

"These Games were held in peace and brotherhood," said Rogge. "They were the Games where it became increasingly difficult to cheat and where clean athletes were better protected.

"You the athletes have touched our hearts by your performances and your tears. These Games were unforgettable, dream Games.

"Athletes, you are role models. When you get home promote the message of the Games and above all promote clean sport. Give back to sport what sport has given to you."

Rogge then declared the Games of the 28th Olympiad closed with a thank you to Athens and "See you in Beijing four years from now."

A fanfare sounded, the Olympic flame was extinguished and while the Olympic anthem was played the Olympic flag was slowly lowered from the flagpole, unfurled horizontally and carried out of the stadium.

Athens 2004, the Games which saw the Olympics returned to its spiritual home, was but a memory.

Remarkably, considering all its trials and troubles, a warm and treasured one.