Exclusive Content

There are two American athletes competing in the 2024 Olympics that I will be cheering for a little louder, Laviai and Lina Nielsen. Lavai and Lina are 28-year-old identical twin sisters who have multiple sclerosis. They are also world-class runners who are not letting their diagnosis stand in the way of their Olympic dreams. 

Lina was diagnosed first when she was 17 years old. Prior to her diagnosis, Lina started experiencing numbness in her left arm and hand and was initially misdiagnosed as having a stroke at only 13 years old. Four years later, her diagnosis of MS was confirmed. Lina continued to compete, but hid her illness from the world. Lina went public with her diagnosis in 2022 after a flare-up struck on the eve of her heat at the 2022 World Athletics Championships, in Oregon, which left her unable to perform at her best. Lina ran the race “90 percent numb” on her left side and ended up finishing last as a result of her symptoms. Reflecting on her MS announcement, Lina told the Daily Mail, “At first I was a bit wary of how it would be received but it's been really positive. In a way it has helped me accept my diagnosis and helped empower me. It has almost freed me.”

Laviai was diagnosed two days before she was leaving for the Olympic games in Tokyo in 2021. Laviai told the Daily Mail, “At the time, I didn't accept it. I remember the doctor diagnosing me and I wanted him to just stop talking because I had the Olympics in two days. I brushed it under the carpet, but when I got back I dealt with it.” Luckily, Laviai has not experienced any MS-related symptoms that have affected her running. Laviai has focused on training, staying on top of her symptoms, and being the best possible version of herself. Laviai told Chloe Merrell at Olympics.com, “It's accepting that I'm good enough. I think for a long time I didn't want to accept that. But you know, I am good enough and I do want to be there, so I will do my absolute best to be in Paris.”

Laviai and Lina may be competing for gold, but they are also using this platform to inspire others living with MS. Laviai told Merrell, “It wasn't just going to be telling our story and that's it, it’s out in the world. It’s continuously inspiring people. We're still able to do what we love, which is running as fast as we can. And we want to show people that even though there might be a roadblock, you can still continue. It might be on a different path, but you might still get to the same place. And that's just being able to continue doing what you love.”