From his silver medal at the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games to multiple World Championships, Commonwealth Games gold, top world rankings and awards both in Australia and internationally, Shane has had quite a career in competitive international cycling. At the conclusion of the Beijing Olympics in 2008, Shane Kelly announced his retirement from international competition. This website is a record of Shane’s successes, an outline of his plans for the future and a showcase of one of our great Australian athletes.
The Kilo
There is no arguing that Shane Kelly is one of Australia’s greatest ever cyclists.
He burst onto the scene back in 1992 at the Barcelona Olympics. His was not a household name in those days. But a surprise silver medal in the Kilometre Time Trial changed all that. And led to a glittering international cycling career.
Since that early success, Shane has gone on to become Australia’s most prolific medal winner in track cycling, including four gold medals at World Championships and Olympic bronze at both the Sydney 2000 and Atlanta 2004 Games.
Shane continued his success in the kilometre event with back-to-back Commonwealth Games gold in 1994 and 1998. At the Melbourne Commonwealth Games of 2006, he added a bronze to his trophy cabinet thanks to his contribution to the Teams Sprint.
A New Challenge
Always looking for a new challenge, Shane took a change of direction and decided to move away from the “Kilo” event and move on to the drama of the Keirin. Naturally, his success in this most challenging of one-on-one challenges has made him one of the best keirin riders the world has seen.
The four-time Australian Male Cyclist of the Year would obviously rather forget his result at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, but we mention it here because this experience truly shows what this cycling legend is made of.
To set the scene, Shane Kelly is the reigning World Champion. He is the current World Record holder. He is the raging hot favourite for the Gold.
The clock counted down. The gate opened. He blasted out of the blocks. But in one of Australian Olympic history’s most haunting images to be broadcast, he pulled his shoe from the pedal and his dream of Olympic Gold was shattered.
Yet, being the man he is, Shane Kelly blamed no one but himself. No tantrums. No blaming equipment. And true to his form, despite his devastation, he was one of the first to congratulate the eventual winner of the event, his long time rival Florian Rousseau (FRA).
Beijing 2008
Already having achieved so much and being an undisputed legend of world cycling Shane then made the 2008 Beijing Olympic team for a record fifth Olympic Games. After finishing a very respectable fourth in Men’s keirin final, Shane announced his retirement from international competition, ending a glittering career that started when he was just five years old.
Today
Shane Kelly is undoubtably an Australian Cycling legend. He is held in the utmost respect by his peers and idolised by legions of fans both in Australia and overseas. Today Shane participates in numerous speaking and motivational engagements. His story, with all its incredible ups and downs is one of persistence, resilience and a belief that anyone can achieve greatness.
