Hundreds turn out to give Joseph Schooling a hero's welcome
This was one hundred metres the butterfly specialist and champion swimmer couldn't complete in 50.39 seconds.
Singapore's first-ever Olympic gold medalist Joseph Schooling was mobbed upon his victorious return from Rio 2016 this morning at Changi Airport Terminal 3.
The fans had started gathering from as early as 2am to see their champion.
Eventually, it was a crowd of hundreds. Some estimated it was close to a thousand.
From all walks of life, they waited - cleaners, aunties, ministers, pilots, schoolchildren, sports officials and tourists - as well as a large contingent of local and international media - congregated at the exit nearest belt 42 to await his arrival.
The shouts began.
"Joseph! Joseph!"
The 21-year-old, who beat joint-silver medalists Michael Phelps, Chad le Clos and Laszlo Cseh to win the 100m butterfly final in a new Olympic record of 50.39 on Saturday, emerged at 6.20am with his mother May.
Shouts turned to screams.
He immediately made a beeline for his teary-eyed father Colin Schooling before engaging in a warm family embrace.
Addressing the swelling crowd, Joseph sent them into a further tizzy with just a few words.
"Thank you guys for coming. This is not for me, it is for all of you. I love you guys."
PHOTO: REUTERS
Ever the gentleman, he would spend another hour entertaining wefie and autograph requests from his long line of fans that snaked out of the terminal and into the coach bays.
But eventually he had to leave and was whisked away to home in a convertible Volkswagen.
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