Global InformationLaviai Nielsen information
 Nielsen in 2017 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Nationality | British | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 13 March 1996 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Home town | London, England | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.71 m (5 ft 7 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 58 kg (128 lb) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Track and field | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Event | 400 metres | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Club | Enfield and Haringey AC | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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}} Laviai Nielsen (born 13 March 1996[1]) is a British sprinter specialising in the 400 metres. She won several medals as a member of the Great Britain 4x400 metres relay teams, including silver at the 2017 World Championships in the women's 4 x 400 metres, and at the 2023 World Championships in the mixed 4 x 400 metres, and bronze in the women's 4 x 400 metres at the 2022 World Championships.
In 2015, she took gold medal in the 400 m at the European Junior Championships.
Nielsen has an identical twin sister, Lina Nielsen, who is also an international athlete in the same events, but who has moved into 400 metre hurdles in recent years.[2][3]
In August 2022, Laviai disclosed that she had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in the summer of 2021.[4] Her twin sister, Lina, had revealed that she was suffering from the same condition two weeks earlier, having been diagnosed in 2013, when she was 17. As MS has a genetic element, Laviai was considered to be at higher risk of the illness following Lina's diagnosis.[5] Laviai and Lina received support through the diagnosis from friend and Paralympic champion, Kadeena Cox, who took up paralympic sport after her own MS diagnosis[6] Despite the diagnosis, Laviai, and her sister, continue to compete in Olympic athletics rather than para-athletics.
- ^ "Laviai NIELSEN – Athlete Profile". World Athletics. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
- ^ "Meet the GB twins going for gold in Belgrade". BBC Sport. 2 March 2017. Retrieved 6 March 2017.
- ^ Debbie Black (12 August 2015). "What It's Actually Like To Train With Professional Athletes". Elle. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
- ^ Euan, Crumley (16 August 2022). "Laviai Nielsen: "We want to be a beacon of hope"". Athletics Weekly. Retrieved 19 August 2022.
- ^ Tim, Adams (5 August 2022). "Lina Nielsen: "I wouldn't wish it upon my worst enemy, experiencing paralysis"". Athletics Weekly. Retrieved 19 August 2022.
- ^ "Lina Nielsen: "I wouldn't wish it upon my worst enemy, experiencing paralysis"". AW. 5 August 2022. Retrieved 19 August 2023.