Thirteen-year-old runner Raiya Matonovich is on her way to being a special track and field athlete with the best 800m time in North American for her age (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Chad Klassen

RAIYA MATONOVICH

Kamloops runner blazing a trail, among best in the world at her age

May 18, 2021 | 1:13 PM

KAMLOOPS — Raiya Matonovich has been running ever since she was little.

Her mom, former University College of the Cariboo basketball star Sukh Heer Matonovich, would drag her out on runs.

“My mom’s been taking me to Kenna Cartwright, so when I was really young — like five years old — she’s had me running, which was quite cool. Ever since then, I’ve really been enjoying it,” she said.

All those kilometres later and Raiya has developed into an elite middle-distance runner. She’s only 13 years old — a Grade 8 student at SaHali Secondary — but Raiya nearly broke a long-standing U16 Canadian record in the 800 metre. Last week, she ran the 800 in 2:10.78 — less than a second off the record.

1000 Ways to Heal

1000 Ways to Heal: Moons

Dec 10, 2024

Question of the Week

Should Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson apologize or resign after it was found he breached a section of council's code of conduct for allowing false or misleading information to be communicated?

Dec 09, 2024

One Man's Opinion

COLLINS: Donald has it wrong - again

Dec 08, 2024

“She ended up being 0.8 seconds away from breaking a 26-year-old record that was set in 1995,” said her coach from the Kamloops Track and Field Club Sean Lehmann. “The runner that set that record went on to be the Canadian marathon record holder currently and went to the Olympics. Raiya’s just started running as a U16, so she’s still 13 year old, so she’s got plenty of time to break these records.”

Matonovich added, “It’s very exciting for me right now and that’s what’s making me driven right now. I’m just so excited and anxious just to keep on going and see what else I can achieve. For sure next time I’m aiming to get under 2:10 for 800.”

Raiya Matonovich’s mom, Sukh Heer Matonovich, played basketball at the University College of the Cariboo in the 1990s (Image Credit: TRU Athletics)

According to Lehmann, Raiya is the fastest 13 year old in the 800 in North America and second fastest in the world. She’s the third fastest in the world in the 1,500 metre.

Given she’s so young, Lehmann says the sky’s the limit for Raiya. The woman whose record she nearly beat, Malindi Elmore, went onto run at Stanford, was a five-time All-American, and is the school’s record holder in the 800 and 1,500.

Stanford is where Raiya wants to go to run.

“For quite a few years now, I know this is something that I want to do when I grow older, just to run professionally,” she said. “So I feel like it’s really exciting for me. I want to see how far I go.”

Lehmann says it’s absolutely attainable for her. In fact, she’s good enough now.

“I’ve spent a decade coaching in the States, I ran down there, and the times she’s running right now as a 13 year old would absolutely get her on most Division I U.S. teams and just about every team here in Canada,” said Lehmann. “So as a 13 year old, she’s already putting in scholarship times at most major universities.”

In addition to running at Stanford, she, like most high-level athletes, wants to compete in the Olympics.

“Hopefully to break some world records for sure,” she said.