Tuhia he tomokanga mō tēnei wāhanga - I wikitōria a Shakes-Drayton i te 400 m huringa i ngā whakataetae o te 2008 Olympic Games GB, engari i kōwhiria a Tasha Danvers hei māngai mō Great Britain, ka riro i a ia te mētara parahi. Ahakoa te kore whiriwhiri, i whakaarohia a Shakes-Drayton hei tumanakohanga mo te Olympics e whai ake nei i te tau 2012. I te 2009 British Championships i Birmingham, i mutu ia i te tuarua i roto i te 400 mita i muri i te toa o te ao Christine Ohuruogu, e whakatakoto ana i tetahi rekoata hou. Ko te angitu i puta i te raupapa rangatahi i te 2009 European Athletics U23 Championships
, i riro ai i a Set te mētara koura 400 m hurdles me te rere o 55.26 hēkona, tetahi atu rekoata whaiaro. I te mea kua whakauruhia ia ki te kapa Great Britain, ka aro atu ia ki te 2009 World Championships in Athletics, e kii ana: "He pai ki ahau te korero a te iwi mo au. Ko te tikanga pea kei te tika aku mahi i ētahi mea. Inaianei me noho au ki runga i te whakahiato, no te mea he kore noa iho te whakahiato, ki te kore koe e noho ki runga ki a ia".