For South African paddler Georgia Singe, standing on the podium at the ICF Canoe Marathon World Championships in Gualeguaychú, Argentina, was about far more than the two bronze medals hanging around her neck.

It was a victory forged in relentless grit, stubborn resolve and a race against the clock to heal a shattered body.

Just six months prior, in March, Singe dislocated her shoulder, a terrifying injury for an elite athlete whose entire performance hinges on upper-body strength and joint mobility.

The medical diagnosis was sobering, threatening to sideline her from high-level competition for up to 18 months.

"I must say it was such an indescribable feeling," Shinge said to Eyewitness News about stepping onto the World Championship podium after her injury.

"In March, I had dislocated my shoulder and was facing the possibility of not being able to do any competitive sports for 18 months. I am still on the road to recovery, but with the help of Wings Hyperbasics and my physio, Candice Murray, my recovery has been a lot faster than anticipated."

South African paddlers Georgia Singe and Jade Wilson on the podium at the ICF Canoe Marathon World Championships in Gualeguaychú, Argentina. Picture Supplied.

Driven by determination, Singe not only made it to Argentina but also executed one of the most remarkable double-podium campaigns of the tournament.

In the Under-23 K1 distance event, she fought through a gruelling six-lap, five-portage course, stopping the clock at 1:47:32.93 to claim bronze behind Slovakia's Romana Svecova and Denmark's Sophie Hansen.

She then stepped up to the Senior division, partnering with Jade Wilson to take bronze in the Women's K2.

Without the luxury of large training groups, the pair relied purely on self-discipline.

"Jade and I train alone, so every session we have no help from slip riding. It's all up to us, and how much work we put into each session, so I knew I was ready for the race," Singe explained.

" We didn't go into the race as favourites at all. Even though we weren't with the front group for the first few laps, we never gave up and kept going as best we could to catch up to the others. We both realised that with hard work, it's possible to achieve."

Singe's trajectory on the water began in 2020 when she enrolled in the Nikki Mocke learn-to-ski school in Cape Town. Raised in Fish Hoek, she quickly found that the ocean was her ultimate arena.

"It started in 2020. I joined Nikki Mocke Learn to Ski School and absolutely loved it, being out in the ocean with my friends and constantly chasing the feeling of being better at it," she said.

That coastal upbringing gave her a structured edge over international competitors.

"I'm in the privileged position to train on both flat water and in the sea.

The two complement one another really well and give me a good balance of endurance and speed training, going through surf and currents," Singe noted.

Her breakthrough came in 2023 in Denmark, where she and Holly Smith made history by capturing South Africa's first-ever junior women's K2 gold medal. Now navigating the transition to senior elite racing, Singe works with a focused philosophy: quality over quantity.

"Trying to stick to the same training program is more challenging when you have a job or studies as a senior. My focus now is on quality sessions over quantity," she said, noting that she is honing her focus on surfski and marathons.

"As a senior, I will need to make hard decisions on what disciplines I'm going to be pursuing, as unfortunately there's not enough time to train for everything as in the past."

South African paddlers Georgia Singe(back) and Jade Wilson racing at the ICF Canoe Marathon World Championships in Gualeguaychú, Argentina. Picture Supplied.

Singe credits her trajectory to her support team, including Euro Steel Sport and Fenn Kayaks.

"Euro Steel has been absolutely amazing. Even during my injury, there was no pressure from them whatsoever- just support. Without their sponsorship, it wouldn't be possible for me to  compete at an international level."

The electric atmosphere in Argentina, highlighted by teammate Hamish Lovemore securing his maiden senior world title in the men's K1 short race, fueled the entire squad.

 "It was really lovely; everyone was supportive of one another, celebrating both wins and losses. I had Clinton Cook stepping in to second for me, which was also cool to see teammates doing that too," Singe recalled.

Looking forward, Singe has set her crosshairs on the U23 K1 world title at next year's World Marathons in Denmark, alongside a top-tier target on the U23 surfski circuit.

Yet, beyond her personal goals, her mission remains centred on empowering the next generation of female athletes back home.

"My biggest advice to young South African girls who want to get involved in lifesaving and paddling would be to believe in yourself, be brave enough to start, and never let anyone convince you that the ocean and paddling are not a place for girls."

More in Sport