Returning to the club where his quest for gold began, the 30-year-old met up with the people he knew before he sailed his way into the history books.

With the reservoir where he first set foot on a boat as the backdrop, hundreds of well-wishers turned out to congratulate Paul on his win and marvel at his journey from Ulley to the Olympic podium.

The Ulley club house was transformed into a shrine to Paul's success with flags and Olympic rings, whilst a keg of 'Goodison's Gold' - specially brewed in his honour by Kelham Island Brewery - was cooling in the reservoir.

"It was really here where it all began and I never dreamed things would end up how they have," he said.

Family and friends happily reminisced at the memory of Paul's parents wrapping him up in a blanket and taking him out on a boat when he was just six weeks old.

Looking to 2012, he spoke of the joy that would come from scooping another gold on his home patch.

"It would just be phenomenal to win gold at the London games and obviously I will start to focus on them now."

Paul, who now lives in Weymouth, described the moment he stepped up onto the podium to accept his medal as a 'rollercoaster' of emotions.

Proud parents Roy and Cynthia, of Harold Croft, Greasbrough, remain ecstatic that their son added the 13th Gold to Great Britain's impressive medal haul.

"It's just absolutely marvellous. It's really the icing on the cake for him," said 60-year-old Roy.

Cynthia, who flew out to Qingdao where the sailing competition was held, was delighted with Friday's celebration.

"I said last week that we should organise some kind of 'do' for Paul and it turned out to be the understatement of the year."

"We've had people travel here from Wales, the south coast and elsewhere to come to cheer Paul back home."

Sheffield United fan Paul also appeared as a guest of honour at Bramall Lane on Saturday for a game against Cardiff City.


Click the green button to listen to interviews with Paul and his parents at Friday night's party .