LINA NIELSEN: I Was Paralysed at 17 - Then I Won an Olympic Medal

About this episode

<p>Lina Nielsen is an Olympic sprinter and hurdler who has overcome incredible challenges to reach the top of her sport.</p><br><p>Growing up in East London, Lina got the chance to be a kit carrier at the London 2012 Olympic Games. Seeing the world’s greatest athletes up close made her dream of competing in the Olympics one day too. </p><br><p>But when she was just 17, Lina was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis after the right side of her body became paralysed. She thought her Olympic dream was over.&nbsp;</p><br><p>It wasn’t.&nbsp;</p><br><p>In our conversation, Lina shares how she defied the odds to achieve her dreams, what it took to get there and what she's aiming for next. </p><br><p>In this episode, Lina shares:</p><p><br></p><ul><li>Her incredible journey to Olympic bronze&nbsp;</li><li>Growing up without her dad and its impact on her relationships</li><li>Being diagnosed with MS at 17&nbsp;</li><li>The misconceptions about MS she's determined to break down</li><li>Learning to accept her diagnosis without letting it define her</li></ul><p><br></p><p>Lina’s story is a powerful reminder that the labels we’re given don't define what's possible.</p><br><p>Lina Nielsen is Great Company.</p><br><p>Lina will be competing in the Birmingham 2026 European Athletics Championships in August. You can buy tickets HERE!<strong> </strong><a href="https://tickets.birmingham26.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://tickets.birmingham26.com/</a></p><br><p>If you enjoyed the show, you can also follow us:&nbsp;</p><p>Instagram-<a href="https://www.instagram.com/greatcompanypodcast/#" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> @greatcompanypodcast</a></p><p>TikTok -<a href="https://open.acast.com/networks/611e511b4ec6dc00134bced2/shows/65d737dfdc02e00016c413b2/episodes/www.tiktok.com/@greatcompanypodcast" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> @greatcompanypodcast&nbsp;</a></p><p>Jamie -<a href="https://www.instagram.com/jamielaing/?hl=en-gb" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> @jamielaing</a></p><br><p>And if you've got thoughts, questions and comments, you can email us at: <a href="mailto:greatcompany@jampotproductions.co.uk" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">greatcompany@jampotproductions.co.uk</a></p><br><p>THE CREDITS</p><p>Producers: Helen Burke&nbsp;&amp; Dan King</p><p>Assistant Producer: Issy Weeks-Hankins</p><p>Video: Josh Bennett</p><p>Senior Social Media Manager: Laura Coughlan</p><p>Audio: Rafi Amsili Geovannetti</p><p>Executive Producer: Ewan Newbigging-Lister</p><br><p>Great Company is an original podcast from JamPot.</p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>