The 22-year-old was Australia’s most successful athlete in Brazil, finishing with four medals, including a relay gold.

She admitted being stunned by the level of support in Australia, after Olympics committee chef de mission Kitty Chiller announced the decision to not allow her to attend the ceremony, for failing to notify team officials of her whereabouts. 

The decision was reversed after McKeon met with Chiller to explain her actions.

”It was a difficult couple of days,” she said.

“The decision was not one I wanted, or anyone really wanted, so I think it was probably the wrong decision made.

“But I’m glad that I did get to walk in the ceremony in the end.”

McKeon stayed with friends in the Swedish Olympics team, rather than take a taxi back to the village against team protocol.

“Parts of Rio, it can be dangerous,” she said. 

“But as long as you’ve got common sense, which obviously I had, you’re not going to be in danger and you’re going to make the right choices, which was to go with friends.

“There was no other decision I could have made.”

The following day, McKeon read news reports and messages from friends, reflecting the outcry over the ban, as well as a petition – setup by former Olympian Melanie Wright (nee Schlanger) – signed by 18,000 people. 

“I woke up and saw my Twitter and my Facebook and people sending me messages of what was happening in the news,” she said.  “I’m so thankful and grateful to the community for helping me and supporting me.”

Olympian brother David and marathon swimmer Jarrod Poort, all former Illawarra Grammar students, were cheered by hundreds of children at the school on Tuesday. 

McKeon finished the Rio campaign with 4x200m freestyle and 4x100m medley relay silver, as well as individual 200m freestyle bronze.

But she admitted winning gold, in a 4x100m relay world record time at the start of the Olympics, had an impact on the rest of her schedule.

”It was very exciting, because I had such a big program, it was sort of hard to keep myself contained and not get too excited,” she said.

”Because after we won gold, I just wanted to celebrate that and really soak up all the media and the attention we were getting. 

“But I couldn’t let it take over my mind, because I still had so many more races to go. That was a bit difficult, but once I got going again I was fine.”

It’s only now, after returning to Wollongong, has it sunk in about becoming Australia’s most successful athlete in Rio.

“I’ve had a bit of time back here to relax,” she said. 

“I haven’t really been thinking about what I’ve done that much. 

“But now we’ve come back and especially to this school and everyone is cheering for us, it’s sort of sunk in.”