Shelley was, on Wednesday, selected to represent her country in the boxing ring at Glasgow, and plans to come back with a gold medal around her neck.

Shelley won an Australian title five weeks ago, but even that wasn't enough to get her on the plane to Scotland.

This year is the first time women's boxing has been included in the games, hence there wasn't enough room to take all 13 Australian champions.

Officials had to select the 11 best medal chances. It made getting chosen even sweeter for the former footballer.

Shelley turned to boxing for fitness after recovering from a knee reconstruction in 2010.

Shelley stepped into the ring for her first bout on May 29 the same year four years ago.

"The rest is history," she said.

It reinforces the adage that every cloud has a silver lining. Shelley has taken plenty of mileage out of that lining.

There's no pain in boxing which could compare to that of a snapped anterior cruciate ligament.

"Every single time I have pain I think of that," Shelley said.

It's a long way from lying in a bed worrying she might not be able to even walk properly again.

A talented athlete, Shelley is also a former State Cup touch footballer. These days she prefers to concentrate on boxing.

"I find all the fast, lateral movement isn't good for my knee," she said.

She kicks a ball around "once in a blue moon", but boxing training is so diverse that Shelley doesn't miss her other sports.

She'll have 55 days to put in a perfect preparation before the Games.

The history of the occasion isn't lost on Shelley. Win, lose or draw, she'll compete in the sport's Commonwealth Games debut.

She plans to make the most of it and take the ultimate prize.

"I'm not going over there thinking I can't win gold," she said.

Shelley has sacrificed much to train and realise her Commonwealth Games dream. You can help her on her way to Glasgow: click here.

Laurieton-born Shelley describes herself as a gypsy, gym wise.

She trains with Mark Grech out of Toe The Line Boxing's gym in Penrith.