The airplane bringing the Slovenian athletes from Russia's Sochi touched down just after midnight, bringing home silver and bronze ski jumping medallist Prevc, bronze biathlon medallist Gregorin and bronze cross-country medallist Fabjan.

Also on board were the men's national hockey team, who played their first Olympic tournament ever, managing to qualify for the quarter-finals with historic wins against Slovakia and Austria.

Despite the late arrival and rainy weather, the athletes were greeted by hundreds of fans at Jože Pučnik Ljubljana Airport, including ice-hockey aficionados from the north-western town of Jesenice.

Prevc said at an impromptu press conference at the airport that he was driven by adrenaline and the team spirit among Slovenian ski jumpers. "Only together we can be stronger," he said.

Ice hockey team captain Tomaž Razingar said that all the players breathed as one, adding that they had proved they belonged to the Olympics and that they more than decently represented Slovenia in Sochi.

Slovenia's most successful athlete in Sochi, the double Alpine skiing gold medallist Tina Maze, is still in Sochi, preparing for Friday's slalom.