Nielsen Twins Champion Volunteer Drive for Birmingham 2026 European Athletics Championships
Olympic bronze medallists Lina and Laviai Nielsen have joined a rallying cry for volunteers to get involved in the Birmingham 2026 European Athletics Championships, drawing from their own transformative experience as kit carriers at the London 2012 Olympics. The twin sisters, who grew up in Leytonstone, east London, volunteered together fourteen years ago at the London Stadium, a moment that ignited their athletics careers and set them on a path to Olympic success.
A Life-Changing Volunteer Experience
Laviai Nielsen vividly recalls her first taste of live sport, standing next to Jessica Ennis-Hill during London 2012's 'super Saturday'. "I don't think we could fathom feeling and seeing 100,000 people in the stadium until we walked out with the heptathletes getting ready for the 200m," she said. "The sun was setting, so the lights had just come on, 100,000 people took their phones out, camera flashes, people screaming Jess' name. It was so loud the stadium was vibrating." This electrifying atmosphere filled her with immense pride and a burning desire to compete at that level herself.
For the Nielsen sisters, the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park was just a short stroll from their home, giving them a unique perspective on how a major sporting event can impact both the local community and aspiring athletes. "We actually started from that moment," explained Lina. "We didn't know the route to going elite, so we just found our local club, which at the time was Woodford Green and Essex Ladies, a very local club." Initially thinking they would be 800m runners, it took a year to find a coach who identified their talent for the 400m and guided them properly.
From Volunteers to Olympic Medallists
Having searched for a track after that formative volunteer experience, the pair now boast three Olympic bronze medals between them, earned in relay events at the Paris 2024 Games. Laviai reflected on the power of seeing sport up close: "When you see it on TV you can feel so far removed from it, but to be standing there with the athletes right there in front of us, I started to realise that these were once young kids like myself who also had a dream and trained really hard to achieve that dream. It made me realise that I could do it as well and step into those shoes myself."
The Nielsen twins emphasize that they never initially believed they would become Olympians; they simply wanted to replicate the feeling of competing in a championship. Their journey from self-coached enthusiasts to elite athletes underscores the profound impact that volunteer roles can have.
Inspiring the Next Generation
Now, with just six months remaining until the European Athletics Championships take place at Birmingham's Alexander Stadium from August 10-16, 2026, the Nielsen sisters are passionately encouraging others to sign up as volunteers. This event marks the first time the UK will host the European Athletics Championships, offering a historic opportunity for community involvement.
The Nielsen twins hope to set others on a similar path to discovery and achievement through volunteerism. Laviai added: "What was really important is seeing sport like that, up close front and personal like really putting it into reality." Their story serves as a powerful testament to how volunteering at major sporting events can inspire lifelong passions and even professional careers in athletics.
Applications for volunteer positions are now open, providing a chance for individuals to be part of this prestigious event and potentially spark their own athletic journeys, much like the Nielsen sisters did over a decade ago.
