Laviai and Lina Nielsen both won bronze in the 4x400m Women’s Relay, while Laviai bagged a second bronze in the 4x400m Mixed Relay
Identical twin sisters from Leytonstone have brought home bronze medals from the Paris Olympics.
Laviai Nielsen and Lina Nielsen both competed in the 4x400m Women’s Relay, while Laviai bagged a second bronze in the 4x400m Mixed Relay.
In the 4x400m Women’s Relay, the dynamic duo, who are supported by GLL Sports Foundation, sprinted to a bronze alongside Daryll Neita, Dina Asher-Smith, Desiree Henry and Imani-Lara Lansiquot.
Speaking to the Echo, GLL’s Waltham Forest Partnership Manager Daniel O’Connor said: “We could not be prouder of Bianca, Laviai and Lina for representing the borough at the Paris Olympics.
“Their success is testament to their hard work and dedication and they are an inspiration to others in the community to realise their competition dreams or just take up a new activity to improve their health and wellbeing.”
The GLL Sport Foundation is run by charitable social enterprise GLL which operates leisure services in Waltham Forest under the ‘Better’ brand.
The organisation is committed to supporting the health and wellbeing of local communities and helping future athletes to achieve their goals.
Their performance is all the more remarkable given both twins have been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. In August 2022, Laviai disclosed that she had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in the summer of 2021. Lina had revealed that she was suffering from the same condition two weeks earlier, having been diagnosed in 2013, when she was 17.
The twins, who first started running at 12 years old, stood on a podium together for the first time at the World Indoors in Glasgow in March, winning bronze in the 4x400m relay, while Laivai won silver in the 2023 World Athletics Championships mixed 4x400m relay and picked up a bronze in the women’s event.
No news is bad news
Independent news outlets like ours – reporting for the community without rich backers – are under threat of closure, turning British towns into news deserts.
The audiences they serve know less, understand less, and can do less.
If our coverage has helped you understand our community a little bit better, please consider supporting us with a monthly, yearly or one-off donation.
Choose the news. Don’t lose the news.
Monthly direct debit
Annual direct debit
£5 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else, £10 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else and a print copy posted to them each month. £50 annual supporters get a digital copy of each month's paper before anyone else.
More information on supporting us monthly or annually
More Information about donations
