With the added luggage of a gold, two silvers and a bronze, the 15-degree drop in temperature – and a long flight from Brazil – had left Emma under the weather and taking well earned rest by mid-afternoon on Wednesday.

Emma and brother David landed with the Australian Olympics team in Sydney in the morning, before driving to the family home in Wollongong.

For David, the buzz continued after making a 400m freestyle final and delivering the swim of his career in the 4x200m relay, competing against American superstar Michael Phelps.

“I’m pretty happy with how it all went,” David told the Mercury. “To swim at my second Olympics, make a final and race against the greatest ever, I couldn’t ask for much more. I’ve been at a couple of meets, Pan-Pacs and Olympics with (Phelps), he’s a nice guy and a pretty special athlete.”

David had also picked up the 200m freestyle event after Cam McEvoy withdrew.

Emma’s golden glory came in the 4x100m relay and picked up an individual bronze in the 200m freestyle final, with a determined swim from lane seven.

“I’m pretty proud of her,” David said. “She did an amazing job, she’s pretty tired right now.”

The siblings celebrated together at the closing ceremony in Rio, but only after Emma’s ban from the event was overturned, following a breach of team protocol on a late night out.

David said they still enjoyed the Olympics grand finale on Monday Australian time, wearing ponchos as the humid Brazilian weather turned wet. “It was awesome, such a great experience to celebrate and compete at an Olympic Games with your sister,” he said.

While Australia finished below the Olympic committee’s own predictions, Emma and Rugby Sevens stars Emma Tonegato and Nicole Beck returned with gold.