AT 4:45 pm they streamed into the VIP Lounge of the Norman Manley International Airport to loud applause.

Jamaica’s World Youth Championship conquerors had arrived home to a fitting welcome.

They were met by government ministers, track and field aficionados, family, well-wishers, and journalists following their long flight from the Ukraine.

Dr Warren Blake, president of the Jamaica Administrative Athletics Association (JAAA), praised the team on their historic achievement in topping the medal tables at a global event, with six gold and two bronze.

“It is with great pleasure that I stand here to welcome back our youth, heroes because they have done what no other track and field team has ever done. They are the first track and field team to top the world at a global meet,” said Blake.

“So great were their performances, because normally the top in the world is done by quality [of medals], and for the first time you could hear Team USA trying to put a spin on it saying they got the most medals,” noted Dr Blake.

Natalie Neita-Headley, minister with responsibility for sports, highlighted their achievements, and every member of the travelling party was given a certificate of appreciation from the Government.

“What a special day this is. It’s a special day in the history of Jamaican sports. This is for the very first time in our brilliant history that Jamaican team had topped the medal table at a global athletics meet,” she said.

Head coach Michael Kerr was just as ecstatic and pointed out that his work was to get into the head space of the athletes and he thought he succeeded.

“The first time we met I told them we are going to make this team the team of great achievements, and the result speaks for itself,” said Kerr.

Team manager, Ewan Scott, stressed the importance of team camaraderie, which he thought paid dividends although, barring a few mishaps, the medal tally could have exceeded the nine achieved on two previous occasions.

“It’s a proud moment that small Jamaica can really top the medal table in terms of quality. It was more pleasing based on some of the setbacks,” he pointed out.

Scott was touched by Marvin Williams’ gesture after winning the 400m hurdles as he went back up the track and picked up his fallen teammate OKeem Williams before celebrating.