American swimmers returning home are receiving hero's welcomes after amassing 16 gold medals and 33 overall at the Rio Olympics.

Swimming sensation Katie Ledecky was swarmed by friends and family as she returned home on Wednesday.

Simone Manuel, who made history as the first US black woman to medal in individual swimming, was received by a drumline and cheerleaders in Houston.

Missy Franklin arrived home to a lawn covered in heart-shaped letters with well wishes from fans, family and friends. 

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Ledecky arrived at Washington Dulles Airport and was immediately enclosed by some 10 friends who ran to meet her, screaming in excitement. 

She was draped in her medals — four gold and one silver — arranged side-by-side as veteran Michael Phelps taught her.

'They are heavy — a little more than the one I won four years ago,' she said, mentioning her one gold at the London 2012 Olympics.

Phelps 'taught me how to arrange them,' Ledecky added. 'He put them on perfectly.'

Now that she's back home, Ledecky says she is looking forward to a home-cooked meal and sleeping in her own bed. 

'I'll be just taking a break from swimming and getting ready for school,' said Ledecky said, who starts college in September.

'I head out to Stanford in a couple of weeks so I need to get ready for that.'  

Meanwhile in Houston,Simone Manuel was greeted at Bush Airport by a drumline and cheerleaders from her high school — plus a sea of cheering fans.

She wore her four medals, two golds and two silvers, as she greeted the crowd. 

'I haven't soaked it all but I'm really excited and happy and glad i set to share it with family and friends,' she told KHOU.

Manuel displayed one of her two gold medals and the high-end carrying case they are held in.

'The two others are in socks because they only handed out two boxes!' she told KHOU.

Manuel took pictures with her fans  — just as she did with her idols in RIo. 

'I asked Serena (Williams) if I could take a picture with her, and I gave my friend my phone, and I ended up shaking and dropping it,' she told the station.

'So, I'm sure that's probably an indicator that I was starstruck!” 

Swimmer Missy Franklin arrived at her house to a sea of warm notes from her fans.

The lawn of her house was covered in pink, heart-shaped papers with sweet words for the Olympian.

There were also huge posters covered in notes plastered on her garage door. 

'I am beyond blown away by this love and compassion,' she wrote on Twitter. 'I have the best community in the world around me! THANK YOU 

Franklin won a gold medal in the 4x200m freestyle relay.

At the London Olympics in 2012, she won four golds and a bronze.