Matti Erickson has been making waves in the middle-distance running scene, establishing himself as one of Canada's top young talents. Hailing from Nelson, British Columbia, Erickson attended LV Rogers Secondary, where he showcased his potential by winning multiple BC provincial titles and setting a junior high school record in the 1500 meters.
After high school, Erickson took his talents to the NCAA Division I level, and has been competing for the University of Oregon ever since. He has gone on to develop into a standout 800-meter runner, consistently improving his times and making a name for himself on the collegiate circuit. Let's dive into a bit more of his journey.
Early Career and Canadian Success (2021-2022)
In 2021, Erickson represented Canada in the 800m at the World Athletics U20 Championships in Nairobi, Kenya, running 1:52.38 in the heats. Later that summer, he lowered his personal best to 1:50.11 at the BC Endurance Challenge. His high school career included 10 BC provincial titles-six in cross country and four in track-as well as setting a BC junior high school record of 3:55.74 in the 1500m.
The following year, Erickson claimed the Canadian U20 800m title, earning a spot at the 2022 World U20 Championships in Cali, Colombia, where he advanced to the semifinals, finishing ninth overall in 1:48.42-just one spot shy of making the final. That season, he also won the Pac-12 Championships 800m bronze medal as a freshman, running 1:49.74, and made his NCAA West Preliminary debut.
NCAA Breakthrough and National Appearances (2023)
During the 2023 indoor season, Erickson ran a then-personal best of 1:50.71 in the 800m at the UW Invite and helped his team win the distance medley relay in 9:43.27. Outdoors, he continued to progress, winning the 800m at the Oregon Twilight in 1:49.72. At the Pac-12 Championships, he secured his second consecutive 800m bronze with a time of 1:48.98.
At the NCAA West Preliminary, he ran back-to-back lifetime bests of 1:47.14 and 1:46.84 to qualify for the NCAA Championships, where he finished 15th in the 800m semifinals. That summer, he placed fifth in the invitational 800m at Nike Outdoor Nationals, clocking 1:48.27.