As a child growing up in New Zealand, Shanelle Barrett was extremely determined and competitive. She finished her first triathlon at the age of ten and declared to her mom that she would make it to the Olympics one day. Years later, Shanelle was on the cusp of making the New Zealand triathlon team for the Athens 2004 Games, but came down with a debilitating illness that ended her racing career.

Resolute and committed to her goal of reaching the Olympics, Shanelle set her sights on a new pursuit – becoming an internationally qualified technical official for the sport of triathlon. In 2012, Shanelle achieved her lifelong dream and was selected as part of the officiating team for the London Games.

In her role as technical and events advisor for Triathlon New Zealand, the national governing body for triathlon, duathlon, aquathlon and cross triathlon, Shanelle is responsible for increasing participation and access for women and persons with disabilities. She was selected as a triathlon official for the 2016 Paralympic Games, and two years later was named Referee of the Year for the Taupo District and Waikato Region. Moreover, in May 2021, Shanelle was appointed as Oceania Triathlon Vice President and technical and event advisor for Tri NZ.