The Otago Daily Times counts down the 150 greatest moments in Otago sport.
No 48: Shanks wins Commonwealth Games gold (2010)
It is just most thought that success would come on the netball court, not the cycling track.
A speedy midcourter and useful goal attack, Shanks dreamed of pulling on the Silver Ferns bib and ditched a promising career in basketball to pursue her goal.
But when the opportunities began to dry up, the all-rounder switched codes and shocked the cycling world with her rapid progress from novice to world champion in four short years.
Her gold medal ride in the individual pursuit at the 2009 world championships put her on course for glory in London in 2012. But that dream suddenly disappeared when the event was dropped from the Olympic programme.
Perhaps it melted some of her resolve, perhaps not, but she finished a disappointing fourth in defence of her world title in 2010.
"That disappointment helped kick-start things for Delhi [Commonwealth Games] and helped stimulate that real motivation to go and get the gold there," Shanks later told the Otago Daily Times.
Shanks hit the reset button and trained as hard as ever, reaping the rewards at the Delhi Games in October last year. She dominated qualifying and produced a top performance in the gold medal ride, dispatching rival Wendy Houvenaghel, of Northern Ireland.
Her winning time of 3min 30.875sec was 1.262sec faster than her opponent and just outside the Games record.
"It's just a buzz," Shanks told NZPA soon after the medal presentation.
"It feels fantastic to put out a good performance and come away with gold."
Shanks made a steady start but trailed Houvenaghel early in the contest. By the 1000m mark she was in control and had a comfortable lead. Houvenaghel rallied in the dying stages but was not able to reel in her opponent.
"The race isn't won in the first 1km so it's important not to go out too hard. Then you've got something to actually race with when it really counts," Shanks said.
