Lina Nielsen was a kit girl in 2012, now she aims to inspire a new generation of London athletes

Sisters Lina and Laviai Nielsen react after winning silver and bronze in the womens 400 metres during the British Athletics Indoor Team Trials 2017
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Steph Cockroft7 February 2018

A rising British sports star hopes that a major athletics event being held in the capital this summer will inspire a new generation of London athletes.

Lina Nielsen, 21, from Leytonstone, has her sights set on representing Great Britain in the 400m hurdles at the inaugural Athletics World Cup.

The new event, to be staged at the London Stadium on July 14 and 15, will see one man and one woman from eight countries compete in all field and track events up to 1500m.

Lina, whose identical twin Laviai is a 400m runner for Great Britain, said the World Athletics Championships at the same venue last summer “created such a buzz in London. So to have another event like this — putting London on the world stage in front of all those people - is just amazing.”

Lina was 16 when London hosted the 2012 Olympics and, alongside her sister, was chosen as a kit carrier. Laviai was even selected to carry for Jessica Ennis-Hill, who won the heptathlon.

“To be a part of that back then, while being a resident of the area and knowing what a huge deal it was for London, was just so special,” Lina said.

“It really inspired both me and Laviai, because we saw what it was like to be part of such an important event. Hopefully this new competition might do the same for younger athletes.”

Laviai, who is in her final year studying geography at King’s College London, won a silver medal in the 4 x 400m relay at the World Championships, but Lina was sidelined by injury. However, she said watching her sister with their family gave her a “huge buzz”.

The twins will now continue with their gruelling training schedules to earn places in the Athletics World Cup. The other countries taking part are the US, South Africa, Poland, France, China, Germany and Jamaica.

To mark 100 years since British women were given the right to vote, the inaugural event will see all nations choose a female athlete as team captain. Lina said this was “extremely positive”, adding: “I think in all sports, all women are trying to get their name out there more and it can prove a little difficult.”

Lina completed a chemistry degree at Queen Mary University last year and now trains six days a week. It was Sally Gunnell, the British 400m hurdles record-holder, who inspired her to switch from the 400m, she said. “At the time, we had 10 good 400m runners of our age, but we only had a few doing hurdles. There was a big gap there and she told me we needed to do more. So I thought I would try and fill that gap.”

Lina and Laviai have moved to north London to be closer to where they train. Lina said: “We have taken different paths, under different coaches, but we still live together, hang out together, talk about training together. It’s so good to have someone who understands.”

The Athletics World Cup takes place at the London Stadium on July 14 and 15. Fans can register their interest in attending at athleticsworldcup.org

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