Hayley Tullett (left) celebrates bronze in the 1500m in Melbourne

"I'm never going to run in front of a crowd like this again so I made the most of it," said the 33-year-old 1500m bronze medallist.

"Waving and smiling at the crowd is something I very rarely do."

Scotland's Susan Scott and England pair Jemma Simpson and Marilyn Okoro made the final behind Maria Mutola.

Tullett finished sixth in the 800m semi-final in a time of two minutes 02.44 seconds.

I'm not doing any more. I might run races in the summer, maybe even the Golden League, but I'm not doing the Europeans Hayley Tullett

She added: "I'm not a big one for saying the thank yous, but I'd like to thank everyone who has helped me during my career."

"I wanted to enjoy the 800m. I didn't really expect to make the final. I'm not a defeatist person, but I don't have the turn of pace.

"I still ran a season's best and my fastest time over 800m for the past two years, but my legs are tired. They really are a bit heavy now."

Tullett said she was initially disappointed with her bronze medal in her favoured distance over 1500m on Tuesday.

But on reflection, the Swansea Harrier said she was happy to mark her final appearance at a major championships with a medal.

"I didn't expect to win - it was always going to be tough - but I did want to win," she told BBC Sport.

"But I'm not doing any more. I might run races in the summer, maybe even the Golden League, but I'm not doing the Europeans.

"I'm 33 now and I want a life beyond athletics. I'm here as I wanted to achieve something after surgery for a sciatic nerve problem, I feel I've done that."

Tullett won 1500m silver at the Commonwealth Games in Manchester four years ago and bronze at the World Championship in 2003.