A NORTH-EAST Commonwealth champion was overcome with emotion as she received a surprise welcome home after her triumph Down Under.

Swimmer Aimee Willmott fought back the tears as she was greeted by friends, family and supporters at the Neptune Leisure Centre – the home of Middlesbrough Amateur Swimming Club.

With her gold medal in hand, the 25-year-old returned to the UK on Tuesday following her success in the Commonwealth Games on Australia’s Gold Coast earlier this month, where she won the 400m individual medley – a race which saw her swim butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle.

Ms Willmott, who was born, schooled and trained in Middlesbrough, received hugs and loud applause as she was given an official welcome home, and was also presented with a bunch of flowers from young swimmers, who will undoubtedly be looking to replicate her success in years to come.

Speaking to The Northern Echo at the leisure centre about the surprise, Ms Willmott said: “I didn’t expect that at all – I thought it was a little bit strange that my coach and my dad asked me to come along in the middle of a session, but to walk in and see all my family and friends and my old swimming coach and PE teachers, it was just really nice.

“It still feels a bit surreal, especially as everyone is here to celebrate my success, it just feels a bit odd.”

Ms Willmott came away with two silver medals when the Games were held in Glasgow four years ago, but the swimmer couldn’t hide her delight in upgrading that to a gold in Australia.

“Coming back from Glasgow after winning the two silvers was amazing, but to bring home a gold one for all my friends and family and everyone who has supported me in the area is great,” she said.

“I love that I am from Middlesbrough and that all my training and my career started here, and it is great to be able to come back and share it all with the kids here that want to be like me and show them a gold medal.”

Speaking about the medal, she said: “It has been in and out of the box as everyone wants to see it, but I don’t want it to get damaged and I don’t want the ribbon to get ruined, so it will probably just end up in a frame somewhere in the years to come so it stays safe.”

Ms Willmott, who has also represented Great Britain at London 2012 and Rio 2016, refused to rule out the possibility of her supporters getting a glimpse of her in the next Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2020.

“It would be great to still be around to compete in Tokyo but right now, mentally, I am just taking each competition as it comes.

“First it was about qualifying for the Gold Coast and then about doing well there, and now it is about qualifying for the European Championships which are in August.

“I just want to enjoy the moment and everything about the experience I have had, and that seems to be working.”

Ms Willmott narrowly beat Scotland’s Hannah Miley to claim the gold medal, and her success came just nine months after she underwent knee surgery.

Speaking in the hours after her victory earlier this month, Tom Harforth, the head coach at Middlesbrough Amateur Swimming Club, said: “It was amazing to train alongside her when I was swimming and she was coming up as a talent to watch.

“Grit, determination, commitment and the willingness to work hard and do well are attributes she had so this comes as no surprise.”