Dunedin Mayor Peter Chin hosted a civic reception for Shanks, to congratulate her on winning the 3000m individual pursuit at the World Championships in Poland last month.
About 120 invited guests, including family and friends, attended the reception, from those who had helped her in her early sporting career to those who were there to watch her make the top of the podium in Poland last month.
Shanks (26) said it was a great honour to have something like this occur.
She joked that when a message had been left on her phone by Mr Chin a couple of weeks ago, she thought those unpaid parking tickets had caught up with her.
She said the win was the culmination of a lot of little things throughout her sporting career.
They ranged from having the persistence to get in 10 successive basketball shots at practice to making the most of the skills you are given, which was taught by netball coach Lois Muir.
Shanks was a representative netballer and basketballer, before turning her hand to cycling.
She paid tribute to her coach and partner, Craig Palmer, saying there was more speed to find yet.
