PETALING JAYA, Aug 23 — Nothing short of a heroes’ welcome awaits our national athletes when they return from the Rio Olympicstomorrow afternoon.

The Youth and Sports Ministry and other stakeholders will finalise plans today as the remaining batch of Team Malaysia, including badminton stars Lee Chong Wei, and doubles pairs Goh Liu Ying-Chang Peng Soon and Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong arrive at KLIA at 1.30pm.

Malaysia’s diving team, made up of Nur Dhabitah Sabri, Cheong Jun Hoong, Ooi Tze Liang, Ahmad Amsyar Azman, Pandelela Rinong and shuttlers Tee Jing Yi, Vivian Hoo Kah Mun and Woon Khe Wei will also be on the same flight home.

Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin yesterday gave an open invitation to people to welcome back the athletes.

"Malaysian Olympic contingent arriving KLIA Wednesday 24 August 2pm. Let’s give them a great welcome!” he said on Twitter.

The welcome ceremony include a water salute that will see the plane carrying the athletes sprayed with water as it taxies to a halt, flanked by four-wheel drives, to the disembarkation apron.

Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad staff dressed in traditional attire will welcome the contingent at the arrival gate, which is expected to be C27.

The athletes will be greeted by Khairy followed by a press conference at the airport. 

Officials from national sports bodies represented in the contigent to the Games, sports ministry and National Sports Institute officials will also be at hand, along with family members of the athletes.

Malaysia collected four silver medals and a bronze in Rio, the best-ever medal haul in the 60-year history of Malaysian participation in the Olympics.

Bronze medal winning cyclist Azizulhasni Awang and compatriot Fatehah Mustapa returned home from the Games last Friday. 

Their plane was showered with water as it taxied to a stop on the runway. They were then given a health screening before they were allowed to meet their families and friends outside the arrival hall.

There has so far been no talk about whether the Olympians will make a nationwide tour to meet fans and well-wishers as was the case with past medal-winning Olympians.