When you sit down with Josefine Eriksen, her demeanor can be described as sarcastic, laid back and humble.
You’ll often catch her smiling and laughing with her fellow Utah track teammates, but below the surface hides a fiery demeanor. Since transferring to the Utes in 2022, Eriksen has broken seven all-time program records and will lead Utah in the 800-meter race and 4x400-meter relay at the NCAA outdoor track and field championships, which begin Wednesday at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.
The Utes have four event qualifiers for the first time in program history and three individual qualifiers, tying a record for the most since the 2023 outdoor track and field season. After the NCAA championships, Eriksen will compete for Norway in the 4x400-meter relay during the 2024 Summer Olympics, the country’s first time qualifying for that event in the Summer Games.
“Josefine is one of those rare people that doesn’t get nervous,” Chloe Shewell, a junior runner and Eriksen’s roommate, said on Monday. “The nerves are the same no matter what. During warmups, she’s still her chatty self, and she’ll get a little more in the zone. But, once she’s on the starting line, she’s completely different. … She turns into demon time Josefine and doesn’t let anyone get in her way.”
Eriksen credits her humble, off-the-track mentality and explosive running to her hometown roots in Stavern, Norway. Her family taught her to never take things for granted and absorb every ounce of experience she could.
That’s why, even if her sights are set on the Olympics, Eriksen is focused on winning with the Utes this week Eugene.
“I think leading up to the Olympics it’s important to compete, practice and get better each time,” Eriksen said. “You get on the biggest stage and the competition is always practice. That’s why the (NCAA championships) will be good practice for the Olympics.”
Before the 4x400-meter relay Olympic qualifiers on May 5 in the Bahamas, Shewell and several other Utah teammates had no clue Eriksen was competing for Norway. It wasn’t until a week before the race that she told them about her potential shot at the Olympics.
The reason? She didn’t expect her relay team to make it to Paris.
“I didn’t think we were going to go to the Olympics because we’re a small country,” Eriksen said. “We were competing against the United States and other big countries. So, it was kind of surprising but also fun.”
Those small moments, combined with Eriksen’s chill mentality and elite talent, have made it easy for her teammates to follow her all the way to the NCAA championships.
“Every single bone in her body is always being used for every single aspect of track,” Ally Gomm, another Utah senior, said. “She’s always been a role model for us, even during the warm-ups. Everyone’s trying to do exactly what she does. She gives it her all in every single thing that she does.”
(Chris Samuels | The Salt Lake Tribune) From left, University of Utah track and field head coach Kyle Kepler and assistant coaches Rebecca Rhodes and Charlee Linton speak to reporters on campus in Salt Lake City, Monday, June 3, 2024, ahead of the NCAA track and field championships.
Utah leaning on youth, connectivity
While Kyle Kepler has been Utah’s head coach for 19 seasons, he’s particularly enjoyed coaching this team.
Not because of the record-breaking performances or the amount of championship qualifiers the Utes have, rather, he loves the team’s family-like atmosphere.
“They’re just so committed,” Kepler said. “We’re going to put it all out there, and that group will make people beat them. They’re not going to beat themselves. It’s been a lot of fun coaching this team.”
Kepler’s team was largely made up of graduating seniors last season, but this year four sophomores will compete in various events, which is half of the total runners Utah is bringing to Eugene. Utah assistant track and field coach Rebecca Rhodes says that the Utes’ youth has helped their mentality stay fresh and determined all season.
“The way that they work for each other, love each other, show up for each other, fill in the gaps for each other, I think that’s one of the reasons why our team has been so good this year,” Rhodes said.
(Chris Samuels | The Salt Lake Tribune) University of Utah track and field athletes speak to reporters on campus in Salt Lake City, Monday, June 3, 2024, ahead of the NCAA track and field championships. From left, Josefine Eriksen, Bailey Kealamakia, Chloe Shewell, Ally Gomm and Harley Daniel.
“I think that our team is more connected than we’ve ever been, and it’s a beautiful thing to watch some of the talent grow into what they’re capable of doing.”
On campus Monday, a day before the Utes hit the road for the NCAA championships, each runner could be seen giggling, popping jokes and looking back on their season together.
“Over this whole year, we’ve all gotten a lot closer, which I think is really important,” Shewell said. “Our team is really collaborative, really supportive, and is really funny and silly all at the same time. But, when it’s time to be serious, we can all be there and support each other when it’s needed.”
Kepler and Rhodes think that level of connectivity is what will help them achieve success in the championships.
That is why they’re expecting big results in Eugene.
“This is kind of a culmination,” Kepler said, “of something we’ve been trying to do for a really long time.”