The 28-year-old ran a 400m personal best at the London Diamond League, perfect timing ahead of her Olympic performance
Laviai Nielsen first stepped foot inside London Stadium during the 2012 Olympic Games as Jessica Ennis-Hill’s bag carrier. Little did she know that 12 years later she would return to the same iconic stadium, not as a volunteer, but as a competitor, breaking the 50-second barrier in the 400m for the first time.
Last Saturday (July 20) Nielsen ran 49.87 at the London Diamond League, taking a chunk off her PB of 50.67. Finishing in fifth place, the run moves Nielsen from No.12 on the UK all-time rankings to No.7.
“I said to my coach I am not leaving that stadium without 49 next to my name,” says Nielsen. “This whole season I have had to be patient and it has been a long time coming. I said I don’t care what happens in May, June, July as long as I am ready in August and now I am ready.”
Crossing that line in tears brought Nielsen back to London 2012 where she worked as a volunteer.
Carrying the bags of Olympic champion Ennis-Hill inspired the youngster to reach her full potential and become an Olympian one day herself. “I really mean it when I say this is my favourite place in the world,” says Nielsen.
“This is the stadium where I was inspired to commit to the sport full time in 2012. I have this stadium to thank for so much.”
Laviai Nielsen (Getty)
The London Stadium seems to embrace Nielsen as much as she cherishes it. After deciding to focus solely on the 400m, Nielsen clinched her first major championship medal in the 4x400m at the 2017 World Championships, hosted at the London Stadium.
While studying geography at King’s College London, Nielsen, alongside her GB team-mates Zoey Clark, Eilidh Doyle and Emily Diamond, won the silver medal in front of a home crowd.
Laviai Nielsen at London 2017 (Getty)
Nielsen’s success at the London Stadium didn’t end there. In 2019, she broke the 51-second barrier at the Anniversary Games clocking 50.83. Remarkably, this milestone occurred on the same track and exactly five years to the day she achieved her sub-50 triumph last weekend (July 20).
It’s clear that Nielsen won’t be turning down any opportunities to race in London again. “There’s a million reasons why this stadium is my favourite place in the world,” says Nielsen.
“This is the stadium where I won my first medal seven years ago. This is the stadium where I broke 51 for the first time five years ago. And now it’s the stadium where I broke…
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