[4] Shanks competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics in the individual pursuit, where she placed 4th overall after being defeated by Lesya Kalytovska of Ukraine in the bronze medal match.

She began her 2009 season by competing in the 2008–2009 UCI Track Cycling World Cup Classics in Beijing, she lowered her personal best once more with a time of 3:30.685 to take the gold medal.

Shanks also rode the team pursuit with Kaytee Boyd and Lauren Ellis, in a time of 3:28.044, becoming the fastest qualifiers.

Then on 8 April 2012 Shanks won gold in the individual pursuit at the UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Melbourne, Australia with a time of 3:30.199.

[8] Born in Dunedin, New Zealand, on 13 December 1982, Shanks graduated from the University of Otago in 2005 with a BCom(Hons) in marketing and a BSc in human nutrition.