# Jaida Ross

Jaida Ross (/ˈdʒeɪdə/ JAY-də; born October 29, 2001) is an American track and field athlete who competes in shot put and discus throw. She competed at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, where she placed 4th in women's shot put, and was the 2024 NCAA Division I champion in the event. Ross was the first collegiate woman to break 20 m (65 ft 7+1⁄4 in) in shot put.

## Early life and education

Ross was born on October 29, 2001, in Medford, Oregon, to mother Amanda Krug, a mental health professional. She has a twin sister named Jazzlyn.
Ross graduated from North Medford High School in 2020, where she was one of the top throwers in the country. She earned a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of Oregon in 2024, where she has competed in shot put and discus for the Oregon Ducks since 2021. As of June 2024, Ross is working on a master's degree in prevention science; she hopes to follow in her mother's steps to work in a helping profession in the future.

## Career

Despite the cancelation of her senior season at North Medford High School due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Ross embarked on her collegiate career at the University of Oregon, competing in shot put and discus for the Oregon Ducks starting in the 2021 season.
In 2022, Ross placed 5th in shot put at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Championships with a throw of 17.83 m (58 ft 5+3⁄4 in) and 9th in discus with a throw of 53.84 m (176 ft 7+1⁄2 in).
In July 2023, she beat Jalani Davis to win gold in shot put at the 2023 U23 NACAC Championship with a throw of 18.35 m (60 ft 2+1⁄4 in).
In April 2024, Ross set a new NCAA record in the women's shot put at the Triton Invitational in La Jolla, California, with a throw of 19.71 m (64 ft 7+3⁄4 in), breaking the record set by Adelaide Aquilla in 2022. The next month, in May 2024, Ross broke her own NCAA shot put record at the 2024 NCAA Division I West First Rounds, with a throw of 20.01 m (65 ft 7+3⁄4 in). In doing so, she became the first collegiate woman to pass the 20-meter mark in shot put, and just the seventh woman in American history.
In 2024, Ross closed out her collegiate career as the NCAA Division I outdoor champion in shot put, with a throw of 19.57 m (64 ft 2+1⁄4 in), and placed 2nd at the indoor championships, with a throw of 18.47 m (60 ft 7 in).
Ross competed at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, where she placed 4th in shot put with a throw of 19.28 m (63 ft 3 in).
In her final NCAA competition, Ross placed 2nd at the 2025 Division 1 Indoor Championships with a throw of 18.98 m (62 ft 3 in), a personal best.

## Personal life

Growing up, Ross looked up to Olympic gold medal shot putter Michelle Carter, saying, "I love what she does for the throws world, I love what she does for the Black community." Ross competed alongside Carter at the 2022 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, Ross' first championships and Carter's last before retiring from competition.

## Competition history

All results are from World Athletics.

### International competitions

Representing the  United States :
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Result | Notes |
| 2023 | NACAC U23 Championships | San Jose, Costa Rica | 1st | Shot put | 18.35 m (60 ft 2+1⁄4 in) | — |
| 2024 | Olympic Games | Paris, France | 4th | Shot put | 19.28 m (63 ft 3 in) | — |

### National competitions

| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Result | Notes |
| 2022 | USA Championships | Eugene, Oregon | 11th | Shot put | 17.31 m (56 ft 9+1⁄4 in) | — |
| 2023 | USA Championships | Eugene, Oregon | 6th | Shot put | 17.82 m (58 ft 5+1⁄2 in) | — |
| 2024 | United States Olympic Trials | Eugene, Oregon | 3rd | Shot put | 19.60 m (64 ft 3+1⁄2 in) | — |

### NCAA competitions

Representing Oregon Ducks and University of Oregon :
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Result | Notes |
| 2022 | Division I Championships | Eugene, Oregon | 5th | Shot put | 17.83 m (58 ft 5+3⁄4 in) | SB |
| 2022 | Division I Championships | Eugene, Oregon | 9th | Discus | 53.84 m (176 ft 7+1⁄2 in) | — |
| 2023 | Division I Indoor Championships | Albuquerque, New Mexico | 8th | Shot put | 17.56 m (57 ft 7+1⁄4 in) | — |
| 2023 | Division I Championships | Austin, Texas | 5th | Shot put | 18.11 m (59 ft 4+3⁄4 in) | — |
| 2024 | Division I Indoor Championships | Boston, Massachusetts | 2nd | Shot put | 18.47 m (60 ft 7 in) | — |
| 2024 | Division I Championships | Eugene, Oregon | 1st | Shot put | 19.57 m (64 ft 2+1⁄4 in) | — |
| 2024 | Division I Championships | Eugene, Oregon | 14th | Discus | 54.99 m (180 ft 4+3⁄4 in) | — |
| 2025 | Division I Indoor Championships | Virginia Beach, Virginia | 2nd | Shot put | 18.98 m (62 ft 3 in) | PB |