King's Elite Nielsen lays down early season marker

King’s Sport Elite Athlete Laviai Nielsen showed her early season form by setting a new 400m indoor personal best of 55.36s at the South of England Athletic Association Indoor Championships.

The event which brings together athletes from across southern England took place at the Lee Valley Sports Centre over the weekend.

Representing her home club Enfield & Haringey AC in the Under-20 women's 400m, the first year geography student clocked 57.25s in the heat to qualify into the semi-finals as the second fastest athlete.

Called back in action within the hour for the semi-finals round, and in spite of the short rest time, Laviai improved her time to clock the fastest result overall on the day, setting both an indoor personal best in the process and new championship best performance for the event.

Reviewing her performance afterwards, the GB Junior 400m athlete was pleased with progress made, saying:

“To run an indoor PB, and so early in the season, feels incredible!”

Having qualified in a commanding position it was ultimately however decided not to contest the final, but instead rest in preparation for a busy upcoming schedule of competition as the indoor season moves into full gear next month.

“I ran the fastest I could in the semi-final, but had very tired legs as I had run the first round just an hour before that. After the semi-final, my legs were even more tired, so my coaches and I thought it best to pull out of the final because we thought we would be risking an injury running it. It was my season opener, so it was nice to just brush off the cobwebs, and learn from it moving forward on to my next race, where I'm hoping to run faster.”

For Laviai that next race could well be a debut appearance at the BUCS Indoor Championships, followed swiftly by the National Under-20 Indoor Championships, both of which will be held in Sheffield in February.

“I'm really excited to run at my first ever BUCS [Indoor] Championships, and I'm hoping to do King's proud! It's been something I've been looking forward to for ages, and I can't wait to get out there! The standard of the competition has always been high, so I'm hoping it will really push me a lot harder than I've ever run before.”

“The weekend after is the National Under-20 Championships which has also been on my mind for a long time. I'd like to grab a medal there, because if I do, it will be the first time I've ever done that and I couldn't ask for more really!”

With both events scheduled over the final two weekends next month it will likely be a demanding few weeks lapping the track at the English Institute of Sport. However for King’s Sport Elite Athlete, whose previous accomplishments include a silver medal in the women’s 4x400m relay only last summer at the 2014 World Junior Athletics Championships, the firm marker laid down over the weekend suggests that there is much more to come in 2015.