TEENAGE Australian sailor Jessica Watson is expected to earn millions of dollars in endorsements after becoming the youngest person to sail solo, non-stop and unassisted around the world.
Ms Watson, who turns 17 today, sailed her 10-metre yacht, Ella's Pink Lady,into Sydney Harbour on Saturday after a 210-day journey.
As she made her way up the harbour, she was surrounded by a flotilla of vessels, including a boat carrying her family, and thousands of well-wishers onshore who were cheering and waving banners.
Her arrival back in Australia after seven months at sea received saturation media coverage; including newspaper supplements and the final stretch of her trip being covered live on two television channels and several radio stations.
Ms Watson had an emotional reunion with her parents after disembarking at the Sydney Opera House, and then met the official welcoming party which included the prime minister Kevin Rudd and New South Wales state premier Kristina Keneally.
Mr Rudd told the teenage sailor she had made her country proud.
“Jess, welcome back to dry land, welcome back home to Australia,” he said.
“You may feel a little wobbly on your feet just now but in the eyes of all Australians you now stand tall as our newest Australian hero.
“At 16 years old, you are a hero for all young Australians, you are also a hero for all young Australian women, you do our nation proud. This is a great day for our country.”
But Ms Watson said she is no hero.
“I don’t consider myself a hero, I’m an ordinary girl,” she said.
“You don’t have to be someone special to achieve something amazing, you’ve just got to have a dream, believe in it and work hard. I’d like to think I’ve proved that anything really is possible if you set your mind to it.
“People don’t realise what young people, and what young girls are capable of, and it’s amazing when you take away those expectations what you can achieve.”
Before she set off on October 17th last year, Ms Watson faced calls from experienced sailors and state authorities to abandon the trip after colliding with a bulk carrier.
But she proved her detractors wrong on a journey where she encountered wild winds, large swells and a knockdown where her mast was pushed 180 degrees into the water.