On June 16 over 140 Indigenous runners from 20 communities across Australia joined together for a morning fun run and afternoon relay race around the base of Uluru. 

The event is part of the Indigenous Marathon Foundation (IMF), created by former world champion marathon runner Robert de Castella to empower children to grow and succeed.

Port Macquarie’s best Aboriginal youth runners kept the Hastings at the top of the tree with an overall victory at the event.

Shelley joined other world champions including Indigenous Olympians Kyle Vander-Kuyp (athletics - hurdles), Brad Hore (boxing), Nathan Thomas (water polo), Josh Ross (athletics - sprinting) and Baeden Choppy (hockey). 

Non Indigenous athletes included the PyeongChang 2018 winter bobsleigh team of Lucas Mata, David Mari, Hayden Smith, Lachlan Reidy and Peta MacKinnon (hockey). 

Shelley said the day kicked off at the crack of dawn and she was in awe of the landscape which was completely flat, except for the rock. 

“It took my breath away,” she said. 

It was a special moment, Shelley said, when all the participants joined arm in arm and were given the opportunity to voice where they came from. They received an official blessing from the elders to proceed with the event. 

Shelley said being an Olympian has enabled her to to not only compete at the games, but also to share her story and encourage others to pursue their dreams. 

Shelley ran the fun run with a couple of girls from Port Macquarie. She encouraged them along the way and one of the girls Chermeeka came second in the three-kilometre event. 

Shelley lives in Port Macquarie and completed her law degree in 2017. 

It has been a goal of hers since she was 11-years-old to become a criminal lawyer. 

Shelley is currently training with the aim of making it to the women’s world championship in November.