Did Usain Bolt party on eve of final race?

Jamaica's Usain Bolt makes his trademark gesture during a lap of honour. Photo / AP

Athletics great Usain Bolt was drinking into the small hours just days before his final race, according to reports.

Bolt's decorated athletics career ended on Sunday on the track - literally as he lay down injured in the 4x100m final at the World Athletics Championships.

The eight-time Olympic champion missed out on a 12th world title after suffering cramp while running the anchor leg for Jamaica.

According to the Sun newspaper, Bolt was seen drinking until 6am at a wake before his final event.

The wake was for Bolt's childhood friend Germaine Mason, an Olympic high jump medalist who died in a motorbike crash in Jamaica in April.

"He was saying 'Hi' to everyone and he was very, very flirtatious. I saw him kissing one of the girls. He was there until 6am," a person told The Sun who claimed Bolt was swigging glasses of Hennessy cognac and Wray and Nephew rum.

Bolt finished third in his only other event at the world championships, the 100m final when Justin Gatlin stunned Bolt.