Sixteen-year-old Megan will be welcomed home by her loving family as well as members of the Dubbo Cycle Club, who have all watched on with great pride as she showed up the best under-19 riders in the world.

As late as yesterday afternoon, Megan’s parents Joy and Neil Dunn did not know what time their daughter would be arriving home.

But as far as they are concerned, the earlier the better.

“We’re all busting to see her,” Joy Dunn said.

“Five weeks is a long time to go without seeing her and we are so proud of what she has done so it will be great to have her back.”

It’s expected Megan will return to class at Dubbo College Senior Campus as early as tomorrow, with a proud group of friends and teachers also awaiting her arrival.

“I think Megan is the first world champion we have had from the school while she is still attending,” acting principal Stacey Exner said.

“What she has achieved is wonderful and we plan on doing something to recognise her achievements but we will do that in consultation with Megan at a time that is suitable for her.

“She will obviously be pretty tired and have a few things going on so we will fit in with her but the whole school community is excited about what she has achieved.

Also, the entire Dubbo community will get a chance to help Megan celebrate with a mayoral reception scheduled for Friday August 1 at the home of Dubbo cycling, No.1 Oval.

Mayor Greg Matthews said it was particularly pleasing to see Megan achieve at such a high level, particularly after the entire Dubbo community united to help send her to South Africa.

“I am part of a Rotary group that helped fund Megan’s trip and while I am proud of what she has achieved, I am equally proud of what the Dubbo community achieved as well,” Cr Matthews said.

“We are in the process of planning Megan’s mayoral reception and we thought No.1 Oval was an appropriate place to have it because that is where Megan began her journey as a cyclist.”

ben.walker@ruralpress.com