SHANE BRATHWAITE came home to a hero's welcome yesterday.

At 3:50 p.m., two trumpeters from the Royal Barbados Police Force Band heralded the arrival of the 17-year-old who brought honour to Barbados when he won the octathlon at the 5th World Youth Championships in Ostrava, Czech Republic.

Shane's father, stepfather, mother and other members of his family were there to welcome home their champion, Barbados' first world champion in any discipline in athletics.

Principal and former principal of his school, St James Secondary, Joy Henry and Yvette Browne respectively, along with several of his schoolmates, were also at Grantley Adams International Airport to share in the historic moment.

"I feel like the greatest mum in the world to know that Shane achieved gold in the Caribbean at only 17," said his mother Faye Gaskin.

"I am overjoyed. I more or less knew that Shane would be able to bring home something for Barbados. . ." said father Norton Brathwaite.

"I feel great being a world champion. The competition was tough. I didn't do my best in the long jump, but I pulled it out in the shot put, javelin, 400 and 100 metres," said an elated Shane.