Hero's welcome as golden girl Jodie returns home

Family and friends threw a party yesterday when the 25-year-old arrived home just a day after claiming her second gold at Glasgow 2014.

Relatives decorated the family home with bunting and a giant medal to welcome back the double champion and they later moved on to Birmingham for a celebratory meal at Brazilian restaurant Rodizio Rico.

And she will spend the next week at home relaxing with mum Jude, dad Ian and older sister Carrie before returning to training.

Stimpson, who won the individual women's triathlon and helped England win the mixed relay triathlon, said: "It has been absolutely brilliant.

"The family members that couldn't come up to Glasgow were all there to welcome me back and that was brilliant.

"They have all been there for me throughout my career and it was great to be able to see them all and show off my medals.

"All the neighbours came out as well so there were loads of people.

"The atmosphere was amazing. You could say it's been a pretty successful couple of days!

"It has been so busy since it all started and I don't think I have slept in about four days because things have been so hectic and noisy but I'm not complaining at all.

"I'm still smiling from ear to ear."

And Stimpson, who lives in Barnford Crescent, revealed she is looking forward to switching off and spending time with her parents before returning to her globe-trotting routine of training and competing at World Cup events.

She said: "I don't get to spend much time at home so when I am here I try to make the most of it.

"If I spend three months at home in a year then that is as much as I do, so it's always nice.

"I spend time with mum and dad, with my sister and with my little niece, Erin.

"I am off again next Monday to France to do a bit more training, but my coach has told me to take a week off after Glasgow so I didn't need to be told twice."

Stimpson later posted on her Instagram account: "I have the most amazing family" and admitted her achievements are still sinking in.

She said: "I couldn't believe I'd won gold at the time and I still can't now.

"Even after I'd crossed the finishing line it didn't sink in that I'd done it.

"It was only when I looked over and saw my family going mad that I realised.

"I hoped I'd do well but I didn't think I'd get a gold."

Stimpson capped an amazing week in Glasgow by helping England complete a clean sweep of triathlon gold medals with victory in the mixed relay.

After winning the individual event on Thursday, she teamed up on Saturday with men's champion Alistair Brownlee, who had won the men's event, his brother Jonny, who claimed individual silver, and Vicky Holland, who won individual bronze behind Stimpson.

And the team pulled off an emphatic win with Alistair Brownlee crossing the line 49 seconds ahead of second-placed South Africa, with Australia third.

It came two years after Stimpson missed out on selection for the London Olympics and she spoke of her enjoyment at the relay event.

"It's so exciting," she said. "It's not only exciting for the spectators, it's brilliant to be a part of. It's definitely full on but it shows weaknesses.

"You have to be strong and you can't have a weak link in the team."

The International Triathlon Union led a campaign to get the mixed relay included in the programme for the Rio Olympics in 2016 but it was unsuccessful.

The governing body is now hoping it will make its debut in Tokyo in six years' time.

The Black Country medal haul continued to grow yesterday when Halesowen's Helen Scott won her second cycling gold of the Games and Jess Varnish, also of Halesowen Cycling Club, won bronze.