Umdloti’s Hamish Lovemore and Salt Rock’s Keegan Vogt paddled their way to global gold medals at the Canoe Marathon World Championships in Gualeguaychú, Argentina, last week.

Lovemore claimed the men’s K1 short course title on Friday evening ahead of familiar foes Mads Pedersen (Denmark) and Fernando Pimenta (Portugal), both of whom had previously pipped him to the top of major event podiums. The race was tight throughout, but Lovemore timed a late sprint to perfection to earn his first world championship gold in a time of 11:20:92.

“Mads and Pimenta were having an absolute battle and I was benefitting by sitting on the wash. I knew I had a good finish and it worked out. I am just so so happy,” said Lovemore.

“I’ve had eight silver medals from various international events over the last three years so its nice to get on the top step for a change.”

Lovemore finished ninth in the K1 long course event on Saturday and 10th in the K2 race on Sunday alongside fellow North Coaster Vogt.

Vogt added two more K1 medals to his growing collection. The Maritzburg College matric claimed gold in the junior men’s K1 short course on Friday evening after a scintillating performance that saw him finish in 11:38:28, 13 seconds ahead of Hungary’s Armin Palinkas in second place.

“After the heat I was feeling really good. I burnt everyone at the bottom turn and pushed the 200 metres to the portage, ran hard, put in and then just tried to keep my lead,” said Vogt.

He went on to take silver in the junior men’s K1 long course on Saturday afternoon, finishing just 3.5 seconds behind Italy’s Leonardo Candela.

South Africa earned three more medals at the event – a silver for Cape Town’s Ulvard Hart in the men’s K1 long course and two bronzes for Durban’s Georgia Singe: one in the women’s U23 K1 and the other in the women’s K2 long course with East London’s Jade Wilson.