Lina Nielsen exclusive: 'I have multiple sclerosis

[drobbie]

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/athletic...x=1659509922-1

Nielsen has multiple sclerosis. It has been present for exactly half her life and the whole of her running career, ever since she first experienced symptoms aged 13.

More often than not, it lies dormant aside from the type of occasional flare-up that hit her the morning before the biggest race of her life last month, sabotaging her dreams of a world medal.

[jjimbojames]

Unfortunately, stress is a big cause of flare ups…so the WC may have been the cause for the flare up, as well as the flare up being the cause of her struggle at the WC.

I suspect as she continues to improve, she will need to manage the psychological side heavily

[LoveSprints1]

You can read the article here where there is no firewall: https://uk.news.yahoo.com/lina-niels...065716185.html

Her sister has MS too. Very sad. Just wishing them both all the best and hope breakthroughs in MS treatment helps support their athletic journeys.

[trickstat]

My guess is it doesn't if the symptoms are sporadic.

[jjimbojames]

Isn’t it what Kadeena Cox has? Not sure if severity counts, but am assuming LN would have switched already if she was able to…but she may not see herself in that light

[Ladyloz]

Firstly just shows that you never know what athletes are dealing with behind the scenes.

Obviously the Para Classification debate has reared it's head again with the Breen/Hahn race & aftermath. I seem to recall a lot of people questioned Kadeena Cox and whether she should be able to participate in the Paras as well. I must admit it made me quite uncomfortable because the critics were pretty much saying that MS shouldn't qualify you and I'm uncomfortable personally with excluding certain disabilities wholesale.

Obviously MS is a complicated condition and therefore complicated in terms of classification as you can have good and bad days/weeks/Months/years. It seems that Lina and Laviai even more so are at an earlier stage; if they're able to compete at a high level in able bodied events then one can understand them doing that, Lina has set PBs in both the the 400 and 400H this year. Until their condition deteriorates which could be years away (although it inevitably will at some point sadly) there is probably not much point pursuing the Para option. It may be that by the time their condition does deteriorate that they aren't any longer interested in competing at elite level.

[SprintRelayFan]

Very sad to have that flare up when she did. Full of admiration for her. Sounds like she has some difficult decisions to make re Reider too. I hope she can find a different coach who understands it and will support her.

[marilyn1]

Sadly we had a great medley swimmer with a different problem that flared up occasionally and it finished her career

[Occasional Hope]

How awful for someone so young.

[Ladyloz]

Very sad to have that flare up when she did. Full of admiration for her. Sounds like she has some difficult decisions to make re Reider too. I hope she can find a different coach who understands it and will support her.

Putting everything else aside Re: Reider, I am not sure I would want to be based in the US. Living with an MS diagnosis must be stressful enough as it is but throw in concerns about medical insurance/costs...sheesh.

[Ursus]

Wasn’t expecting to read that. Terrible.

[marra]

Eeesh, I take back any words I had about her under performing in Eugene! Lesson learned for me to try to remember that what we see on the surface is only a glimpse of the things that a person might be going through.

[Balgair]

Wow, poor her; I'd wondered what was up after that interview in Eugene and hoped it wasn't anything potentially career-ending - hadn't realised her entire career so far has been done while managing something like that! Have to respect her for getting as far as she has, particularly the improvements she's had this season which have really brought her up a level; I really hope she can find treatments which work for her so she can continue to get the best out of herself.