Cheam’s golden girl Joanna Rowsell celebrated her amazing cycling win with chicken nuggets and a cheeseburger - but even she had to join the back of the queue despite being an Olympic champion.

After eight years of hard work, the Olympic Gold medallist treated herself to a late night McDonalds meal in the Athletes Village and topped it all off with a McFlurry on Monday.

Miss Rowsell, 23, along with team mates Dani King and Laura Trott, set a new world record as they took on the United States in the women’s team pursuit final on Saturday.

She said: "We went to McDonalds at about one in the morning thinking there would be no queue at all.

"But there was a queue because basically everybody that finishes racing goes straight there to get a McDonalds.

"I can’t even remember when I last had a McDonalds."

As a strange coincidence, on the same day of the Olympic final, a fan contacted Miss Rowsell, who has the hair loss condition alopecia, to tell her it was International Alopecia Day.

As she completed a lap of honour after winning Olympic gold, Miss Rowsell pulled off her helmet to proudly reveal her bald head.

She said that cycling gave her confidence and she hopes she can be an inspiration to other girls with alopecia and to raise awareness of it.

When asked what it was like standing on the podium after winning gold she said: "I was just overwhelmed with all the crowds - they had been so loud and everyone was standing up. I was just trying to take it all in and soak up the moment."

Miss Rowsell is staying in the Olympic Park until the closing ceremony on Sunday and is soaking up the atmosphere before she returns home to Cheam.

She said: "I don’t see how we are ever going to top this - a gold in a home Olympics - it’s never going to get any better really so I’m just going enjoy it.

After her sensational victory Miss Rowsell went to look for her boyfriend in the crowds and her brother, Erick Rowsell, tweeted: "Think I'm the most proud brother in the world thank you Joanna Rowsell I know how hard you have worked for that and now you have it! Enjoy!"

Sir Paul McCartney led the crowd in a joyous rendition of Hey Jude - which he also performed in the opening ceremony for the Games.

Miss Rowsell was a 15-year-old pupil at Nonsuch High School for Girls when she was discovered by British Cycling scouts. Her former PE teacher and form tutor, Sandy Etheridge, 58, from Cheam, watched Miss Rowsell’s victory with other teachers who cracked open a bottle of champagne in celebration. She said: "Jo’s always been one to take on challenges. Like everything she just gives it her best.

"Whatever Jo does she is totally committed, totally focused and totally determined."

Miss Rowsell plans to continue with the cycling and is looking towards the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in two years time.

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