But she didn't really believe she could do it.

However, dreams do come true, and just three years after taking up the sport, the mother of two joined her Victorian partner Peta Wait to claim a bronze medal in the 25km K2 marathon in windy conditions on Denmark's Lake Bagsvaerd, near Copenhagen, last Sunday week.

O'Connell-Brechin said a 30kmh wind, coupled with cold temperatures that didn't get above 12 degrees, as well as being the only crew in the race without their own boat, made the race a gruelling test of skill, nerves and fitness.

She first believed a medal was within reach when the powerful Polish team tipped their kayak over on the opening lap and they traded places with silver medallists Spain behind winners Denmark, just falling short due to inferior land speed between the 51/2 laps of the lake.

"The wind was really strong at the start of the race and we had to go side on at times with the waves getting up to half a metre high," O'Connell-Brechin said.

"Poland had a paddler who had won the K1 by five minutes the previous day and beat all the men, so we were really lucky they fell out - they got back in but they couldn't catch us.

"We went over there hoping to get a medal but to actually come back with one was unbelievable.

"It was a thrilling experience repesenting my country, and there was about 12 other countries there, that was the most thrilling part."

O'Connell-Brechin and Wait based themselves in Sweden for the two week stay and they couldn't be happier with the support they received there.

"The Swedes looked after us really well, they leant us boats to train in and were very accommodating.

"Having to hire a boat affected us a lot, but the more experience you get the easier it is to adapt.

"I ended up with a sore foot from the boat we had, it was like an old tank, it wasn't new or anything, it was an old boat we had hired for $AU400 and it was a lot heavier than we were used to.