Paralympic champion Katarina Roxon welcomed home at St. John's airport

Six days ago, Katarina Roxon burst into tears after winning her first Paralympic gold medal.

On Tuesday, the St. John's International Airport burst into applause for her return.

The 23-year-old pride of Kippens came down the airport's escalator to cheers and camera flashes, her gold medal draped around her neck and a smile on her face.

• Katarina Roxon wins Paralympic gold in 100-m breaststroke

• Katarina Roxon 'enjoying every moment' in Rio before heading home to Newfoundland

After making Newfoundland and Labrador proud in Rio, she was just happy to be home.

"This is actually amazing," she said of the reception. "This has never been done for me before. I'm just in awe right now."

'Before the last Paralympic games, I've known who the champion was in my events. But now, it's me.'- Katarina Roxon

As one person draped a provincial flag over her shoulders, Roxon recounted her golden swim in the 100-metre breaststroke.

Coming off a disappointing finish in the freestyle event, she was feeling the immensity of the job in front of her before the morning preliminary heats.

"You need that little bit of extra nerves to get through it," she said.

"It went really well in the morning. I was happy with my race, I won the best time. And then the night, I was calm. I wasn't really nervous. I wasn't too excited, I was just calm with it."

Roxon exploded for the race of her life. Finishing in 1:19:44, she trimmed nearly two full seconds off her previous personal best.

Messages of support and pride

The outpouring of support has been incredible, Roxon said.

Her phone was filled with messages from Facebook, Twitter and text messages. She's heard from friends, family and total strangers — who all want her to know they are proud of her.

You don't have to leave the island to achieve what you want.- Katarina Roxon

"Now people in the world know who I am," she said.

"It's a little crazy because before the last Paralympic games, I've known who the champion was in my events. But now, it's me. It's a little different. I have to get used to that."

After leaving the airport, Roxon travelled to the Confederation Building in St. John's, where Premier Dwight Ball announced a highway near her hometown would be renamed after Roxon.

Route 490 will now be called Roxon Way.

As to whether or not she'll carry that title into the 2020 Paralympics in Tokyo, Roxon remained tight-lipped.

A veteran of three Paralympic Games, she has yet to decide whether or not she'll aim for four.

"Right now I'm just enjoying the moment of being the Paralympic champion and just being home and enjoying every part of the journey," she said.

"I'm not thinking of what's next. Just the moment, right now."

An improbable story of success

Roxon, born with her left arm missing below the elbow, began swimming when she was five years old. Her parents thought it was a necessary life skill, growing up surrounded by water.

By the age of 14, she was a world class swimmer and taking part in her first Parapan Am Games in 2007. The next year, she was the youngest member of the Canadian Paralympic squad at the Beijing Paralympics.

Now, she hopes to use her success as a model for other disabled athletes in Newfoundland and Labrador to follow and build confidence.

"I'm hoping it's going to open some more doors for kids who want to start sport but have a disability," she said.

She also hopes to inspire youth to believe their dreams can come true without having to leave this province.

Roxon's success on the world stage comes despite Newfoundland and Labrador having only one Olympic-sized pool, 770 kilometres from her childhood home in Kippens.

"I love living in Newfoundland. I love how comfortable I am here, the support I get here … You don't have to leave the island to achieve what you want."