A quarter of a century after her mother came up short the 22-year-old confirmed a windsurfing bronze medal for Great Britain in Enoshima.
Wilson only finished outside the top five once in 12 preliminary races and knew that an elusive place on the podium was in the bag.
In benign conditions Wilson ceded the silver medal position to Charline Picon of France, who streaked over the line in first place. China's Lu Yunxiu, who knew she would take gold so long as she closely trailed her two medal rivals, carefully tracked Wilson over the line before all three medallists celebrated by leaping into the sea.
British windsurfer Bryony Shaw was last to medal when she took bronze in Beijing in 2008.
And there was particular satisfaction for the Wilson household after her mother, Penny Way, finished in sixth and seventh in the 1992 and 1996 Games respectively.