Track sprinter Shane Perkins made headlines in February when he revealed his intentions to ride for Russia and pursue his Tokyo 2020 dream. Perkins rode the 2012 Olympic Games with Australia, winning bronze in the sprint, but found himself on the outer with the national body leading into the Rio Olympic Games.
Toying with the idea of retirement in 2016, Perkins decided to extend his career with Russia and like his father Daryl in 1964, ride in a Tokyo Olympic Games.
"Firstly, I am extremely grateful that I have this opportunity to continue what I love. Especially the opportunity to make it to the Tokyo Olympics," Perkins told Cyclingnews of his change. "Unfortunately, I wanted to do it with Australia but I wasn't going to be able to. You only get one life and Russia has come along to support and has the belief in me to chase that dream."
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A gold medallist at the world championships, Commonwealth Games and national champions, Perkins' time in the national squad came to an end in 2015. Despite winning a third keirin title in 2016, the writing was on the wall for the 30-year-old, with Cycling Australia opting for a younger group of sprint riders for the Rio games.
During his career, Perkins has regularly ridden the Japanese Keirin circuit, expanding his social and professional network in the sport. Through keirin and international meets, Perkins befriended Denis Dmitriev and with the 2017 sprint world champion in recent seasons, would joke about riding for Russia to prolonge his career.
In December of 2016, the casual conversations turned into formal meetings with Russian officials. During these initial meetings, Perkins explained that he was keen to stress his gratitude for the opportunity and wanted to first prove his value before accepting any financial assistance from the Russian Federation.
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