Her crowning moment had come a few minutes earlier when she won the women's aged 50 to 54 400m at the world masters championships.
She set an Otago record with her time of 62.36sec, beating her own record by 0.84sec.
Wilson (50), a preschool teacher, was one of 4000 athletes competing in Porto Alegre last month.
The Hill City-University sprinter was overcome when she stood on top of the podium and heard the announcement of her success.
Tears streamed down her face when the New Zealand flag was raised and she listened to the national anthem.
''That was the ultimate,'' she said.
''They were playing the national anthem for me. I was crying and trying to sing it. It was the ultimate accolade.''
Wilson was seeded third by her entry time but ran the fastest heat time.
She still had the jitters as she prepared for the final. During her seven-year athletics career, she has concentrated on the 100m and 200m. The 400m was a new event for her at the top level. She usually went out too fast and blew up in the home straight.
''I struggled to learn how to pace the 400m,'' she said.
''I only nailed it just before I left for Brazil. I was terrified of blowing up in the last 50m.
''I tend to go out too fast. By the time I get to the 200m, I've burnt up all my energy. Coming into the home straight, I am filled with lactic acid and slow down. I had to learn to stride out over the first 200m and then pick up the pace.''
Wilson had caught the rest of the field by the 200m mark and powered home.
''It was a huge competition for me. The two in front of me in the 100m and the 200m work in gymnasiums as personal trainers and are almost professional athletes.
''I teach preschool and it is a huge difference to working in a gym.''
It is believed Wilson is the first Otago athlete to win a gold medal at the world masters athletics championships.
She also won bronze medals in the 100m and 200m. Her 100m time of 13.47sec was an Otago record, beating her old time of 13.49.
Her 200m time of 26.60sec broke the New Zealand record by 0.57sec and took a second off her personal-best time, but it could not be recognised because the wind reading was too high.
In a world championship first, Joy Upshaw (United States) and Marie Key (Australia) dead-heated for the gold medal in the 200m.
There were 33 athletes in the New Zealand team in Brazil and they won nine gold medals.
The next world championships will be held in France in 2015.
