Commonwealth Games gold medallists Ben Smith (left) and
Alison Shanks with mayor Dave Cull at a mayoral reception
at the Dunedin Town Hall last night. Photo by Jane Dawber.
Her specialist individual pursuit has gone.
Dunedin's elite cyclist, Alison Shanks, is now concentrating
on the teams pursuit for the London Olympic Games in 2012.
The Otago Daily Times learnt of her plans during a mayoral
reception at the Dunedin Town Hall for Shanks and sevens star
Ben Smith, who both won gold medals at the New Delhi
Commonwealth Games last month.
"There isn't any other track event I could cross over to,"
Shanks said.
"It is exciting because we hold the world record."
The New Zealand team of Shanks, Rushlee Buchanan and Lauren
Ellis broke the world record in the teams pursuit when
finishing third at the world championships at Copenhagen in
March.
The time was 3min 21.552sec.
It was the first mayoral reception celebrating Dunedin's
sporting elite since Dave Cull was elected mayor last month
and there were 140 friends, family and supporters present.
Included in the audience were pupils from Queens and Kings
High Schools, where Shanks and Smith were educated.
"We are proud and delighted of their of achievements in
bringing back gold medals to the city," Cull said.
"It was a magnificent achievement."
Both Shanks and Smith acknowledged the help they have
received from Dunedin people.
Both have been backed by the Skeggs Foundation and the New
Zealand Academy of Sport.
"I have travelled the world but I have everything I need to
function as an elite athlete in Dunedin," Shanks said. She is
in full training for a busy season that will lead to the
world championships in the Netherlands in March.
She will compete in both the 3000m individual pursuit and the
teams pursuit.
Her international campaign starts in two weeks at the World
Cup event at Cali, Colombia, when she will compete in the
individual and teams pursuits.
She will do only the teams pursuit at the World Cup at
Beijing in January.
Shanks will also defend her New Zealand title at Invercargill
in February.
Shanks and Smith last night thanked the Otago community for
their support.
"It was an opportunity to share my gold medal with the people
of Dunedin who have supported me," Shanks said.
"It was good to bring my gold medal home."
Shanks made special mention of letters she received from
pupils of room 8 at Fairfield Primary School, particularly a
letter from Emma.
Smith, who was a key member of the winning New Zealand sevens
team at New Delhi, is having a break after a long rugby
season for the Highlanders and Otago.
He is on leave until the Highlanders reassemble in Dunedin on
December 13.
Smith was acknowledged by coach Gordon Tietjens as one of the
the outstanding players in the New Zealand sevens team.
"Ben played every minute of the final," Otago rugby team
manager Des Smith said.
"He had an outstanding tournament."
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