AFTER a year to remember, Milly Tapper has returned home after a triumphant Paralympic and Olympic campaign.

The table tennis star brought her Paralympic silver medal in tow, won at this year’s Tokyo games, and said it was great to be able to share the experience with those who had helped her reach her goals.

“It is definitely really nice to come back,” she said.

“It has been nice, to see my friends and family, getting to be back in town and having the time to soak it up.

“It is a nice little bit of bling, everyone was pretty excited to see it and hold it.

“I am so grateful the people around me to keep me grounded.”

With restrictions easing and allowing Melburnians to travel to regional Victoria, Tapper has made a couple of trips back to see family and friends in recent weeks and said it was great to acknowledge her performances in Japan, but to also socialise with family and friends, which has been tough with COVID restrictions and training responsibilities this year.

“It has been hard to see everyone in general,” Tapper said.

“I stay with mum and dad every time I come back, so it is always good to see them and my group of girlfriends that are still in Hamilton, we all caught up for dinner and that was great.

“I know they are proud of my achievements, but it is not something we spend too much time talking about.”

It is not just seeing the familiar faces which draws Tapper back to her hometown, but it is the slower pace.

Living in Melbourne, the 31-year-old juggles plenty of responsibilities, but returning to Hamilton allows her to switch off from some of those things.

Tapper said it was the chance to take a breach which also made her visits worthwhile.

“I think the chance to just take a step back from the training court and enjoy a bit of life has been very refreshing,” she said.

“I think the majority of my family is here, my friends are here, and I am just forced to slow down and take more in, which is nice for me.

“I have had 16 or so years in Melbourne and it is always so fast-paced.”

Tapper has also had a chance to catch up with her Paralympic teammates since returning to Melbourne.

“It was nice that we had a couple of extra days in the village, so as a team we were able to have a celebration and we have caught up a couple of times since being back in Melbourne,” she said.

With a busy 2022 schedule already planned, Tapper returned to training last week, as she eases back into her routine leading up to Christmas.

She said she wouldn’t be going too hard too soon, pacing herself and eyeing off a big training load in January.

“I started lightly back in the hall last week, I am just easing back into it and will hit a bit more full swing at the beginning of January,” she said.

“The calendar for the next year is tough, we have got the Commonwealth Games trials in April.

At the moment, I don’t know how well I will be sitting for that, then later on in the year we have got nationals and the Para World Championships.

“So I am definitely making the most of coming back home while I can, once the new year starts, it will be a bit harder for me to get back.”