Oregon shot putter Jaida Ross rises to throw farther than anyone in collegiate history

Jaida Ross set the collegiate record in the women’s shot put on April 6 in La Jolla, California, with a stunning four-foot personal record.

Three weeks later, in her next shot put competition, she equaled that record-setting mark during what was the best series ever recorded at the collegiate level.

With those April performances behind her, Ross is now looking ahead to what could be a monumental two-month stretch of track and field for the Oregon senior.

She’s entered in the discus Friday during the Oregon Twilight meet at Hayward Field, then come the Pac-12 Championships (May 10-12), the NCAA West Preliminaries (May 22-25), the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships (June 5-8) and then the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials (June 21-30).

Those last two meets will take place at Hayward Field.

“Those big success are fun but we’re still building and there’s more to come,” said Ross, who was a two-time OSAA 6A champion before losing out on her final high school season in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “ … My mind is conference, regionals, nationals, trials. And it’s one at a time and go for it at every meet.”

Ross’ rise this season from NCAA contender to NCAA leader started with her second-place performance at the NCAA Indoor Championships in March.

Then in her outdoor opener, Ross threw 64 feet, 8 inches — or 19.71 meters — at the Triton Invitational, breaking the collegiate record of 64-5½ previously set by Adelaide Aquilla of Ohio State during the 2022 NCAA Outdoor Championships at Hayward Field.

It was Ross' first 19-meter throw of her career as her previous best was 18.49 (60-8).

Last weekend during the Desert Heat Classic in Tucson, Arizona, Ross had four throws measure at least 19 meters including another 19.71 to tie her collegiate record.

“You wish you had one more centimeter on it,” Ross said. “But at the same time, I think that’s the best follow-up I could’ve had to a collegiate record, just showing that I can throw 19 and be consistent at it.”

Ross is only the third collegian with at least five throws of at least 19 meters in her career and the first to have four in one competition.

“I felt amazing,” Ross said. “Every throw I was just focused on getting better. I had a plan and a strategy to make it better every throw.”

Oregon coach Jerry Schumacher said Ross’ performance in Tucson shows her collegiate record was no fluke.

“Jaida just backed up that 19.71 with a second 19.71 and followed it with perhaps the greatest series in NCAA history,” he said. “Her throwing is just through the roof and outstanding right now and it couldn’t happen to a better individual.”

Big meets to come for Oregon's Jaida Ross

The collegiate season is always ahead of the professionals at this point of the year, but Ross has put herself in the conversation as contender for a spot on the U.S. Olympic team for the Paris Summer Games.

She has the second-best throw by an American this year behind 2022 world champion Chase Jackson’s 20.03, which is also the best mark outdoors in the world this season.

Ross has the fourth-best mark in the world outdoors and seventh best when also counting marks from the indoor season.

“It’s mind-blowing,” Ross said. “These are people that I look up to and have seen as motivators. … It’s very surreal.”

Ross credits Oregon throws coach Brian Blutreich with making her technique sound and helping her focus on being confident.

“Just believing in myself,” she said. “Believing that I can do it and knowing what I can do and going out there and competing using the technique that he’s given me and the strength we’re building.”

Ross was second at the Pac-12 championships last season and third in 2022. She was fifth at the NCAA Outdoor Championships both years as well.

With so much ahead, Ross said she is just focusing on the competition that’s right in front of her.

“With time these meets will come,” Ross said. “I don’t want to psych myself out. We’re building to June so every day I come in here and do my drills, I do my throws, I lift, I get better, I get stronger and then I do the same thing the next day.”

Oregon Twilight track and field meet

• Friday at Hayward Field

• Go to bit.ly/3UHxSnO for a meet schedule, start lists and live results

Follow Chris Hansen on X @chansen_RG or email at chansen@registerguard.com.

This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Oregon shot putter Jaida Ross rising ahead of Olympic Trials