Ross Earns Trip to Paris Olympics
06/29/24 | Track and Field
The Medford, Ore., native had a day's best of 19.60m/64-3.75 and finished third Saturday.
EUGENE, Ore. – From collegiate-record holder to NCAA champion to Olympian, Jaida Ross added to her standout season resume Saturday evening at Hayward Field. The Medford, Ore., native finished third in the shot put to become an Olympian and secure a trip to the 2024 Games in Paris.
Ross becomes the second Oregon athlete from the 2024 roster to earn a spot in the upcoming Olympics, joining Klaudia Kazimierska who will represent Poland in the 1500 meters. Kazimierska (4:10.96) won the event at the Polish Championships this past Thursday.
"I feel on top of the world," Ross said. "I've never felt like this before…feeling super grateful. (Hayward) was ecstatic. I've never heard it that loud. To have that many people here, it was amazing. Big shout out to the fans and anyone that came to watch."
On her second toss of the competition, Ross let go of a day's best of 19.60m/64-3.75 to strengthen her top-three position. She sat in second place through the first three rounds before eventual Trials champ Chase Jackson (20.10m/65-11.5) posted her winning mark. Ross eclipsed 19 meters on four of five legal throws with additional measures of 19.39 in the first round, 19.51 in the third round and 19.19 in round five.
Ross is the first Oregon athlete to qualify for the Olympics in the shot put since Pete Shmock in 1976 and 1980. Ross also becomes the sixth Olympian for UO throws coach Brian Blutreich and fourth to qualify in the shot put. Team USA in the women's shot put consists of Ross, Jackson and Raven Saunders.
The qualifying round of the women's shot put is scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 8, with the final set for the following day.
Day nine of the U.S. Olympic Team Trials also saw Oregon alum Alaysha Johnson turn in the fastest time in the semifinal round of the 100-meter hurdles. The 2017 Pac-12 champion and school-record holder in the event stopped the clock in a season-best time of 12.36 on Saturday. She was one of three to clock a 12.36 but got the top spot when times were expanded to thousandths of a second.
The 100 hurdles final is scheduled for Sunday at 5 p.m. on NBC and Peacock.
Jenna Prandini (22.58) and Jadyn Mays (22.60) finished seventh and eighth, respectively, in the 200 final. In the men's final, UO alum Kyree King clocked a personal best of 19.90 to finish fifth. The top five in the race were all 19.90 or faster. King was part of the United States' squad that qualified for the Olympics in the 4x100 relay at the World Relays Championships in May.
Along with Johnson's run for an Olympic spot, Sunday's slate will also feature Cole Hocker and Cooper Teare in the final of the men's 5,000 meters at 4:30 p.m.
Notable: Matthew Erickson (1:46.79) finished third in the 800 meters at the Canadian Championships in Montreal. He ran a lifetime best of 1:45.74 just over two weeks ago at the Portland Track Festival but is without the Olympic standard (1:44.70) in the event.
Saturday Results
U.S. Olympic Team Trials (Eugene, Ore.)
MEN
200 Meters
5. Kyree King – 19.90 (PB)
WOMEN
200 Meters
7. Jenna Prandini – 22.58
8. Jadyn Mays – 22.60
100m Hurdles semifinals
1. Alaysha Johnson – 12.36q (SB)
Shot Put
3. Jaida Ross – 19.60m/64-3.75
For more news and information about Oregon cross country and track and field, follow @OregonTF on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Ross becomes the second Oregon athlete from the 2024 roster to earn a spot in the upcoming Olympics, joining Klaudia Kazimierska who will represent Poland in the 1500 meters. Kazimierska (4:10.96) won the event at the Polish Championships this past Thursday.
"I feel on top of the world," Ross said. "I've never felt like this before…feeling super grateful. (Hayward) was ecstatic. I've never heard it that loud. To have that many people here, it was amazing. Big shout out to the fans and anyone that came to watch."
On her second toss of the competition, Ross let go of a day's best of 19.60m/64-3.75 to strengthen her top-three position. She sat in second place through the first three rounds before eventual Trials champ Chase Jackson (20.10m/65-11.5) posted her winning mark. Ross eclipsed 19 meters on four of five legal throws with additional measures of 19.39 in the first round, 19.51 in the third round and 19.19 in round five.
Ross is the first Oregon athlete to qualify for the Olympics in the shot put since Pete Shmock in 1976 and 1980. Ross also becomes the sixth Olympian for UO throws coach Brian Blutreich and fourth to qualify in the shot put. Team USA in the women's shot put consists of Ross, Jackson and Raven Saunders.
The qualifying round of the women's shot put is scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 8, with the final set for the following day.
Day nine of the U.S. Olympic Team Trials also saw Oregon alum Alaysha Johnson turn in the fastest time in the semifinal round of the 100-meter hurdles. The 2017 Pac-12 champion and school-record holder in the event stopped the clock in a season-best time of 12.36 on Saturday. She was one of three to clock a 12.36 but got the top spot when times were expanded to thousandths of a second.
The 100 hurdles final is scheduled for Sunday at 5 p.m. on NBC and Peacock.
Jenna Prandini (22.58) and Jadyn Mays (22.60) finished seventh and eighth, respectively, in the 200 final. In the men's final, UO alum Kyree King clocked a personal best of 19.90 to finish fifth. The top five in the race were all 19.90 or faster. King was part of the United States' squad that qualified for the Olympics in the 4x100 relay at the World Relays Championships in May.
Along with Johnson's run for an Olympic spot, Sunday's slate will also feature Cole Hocker and Cooper Teare in the final of the men's 5,000 meters at 4:30 p.m.
Notable: Matthew Erickson (1:46.79) finished third in the 800 meters at the Canadian Championships in Montreal. He ran a lifetime best of 1:45.74 just over two weeks ago at the Portland Track Festival but is without the Olympic standard (1:44.70) in the event.
Saturday Results
U.S. Olympic Team Trials (Eugene, Ore.)
MEN
200 Meters
5. Kyree King – 19.90 (PB)
WOMEN
200 Meters
7. Jenna Prandini – 22.58
8. Jadyn Mays – 22.60
100m Hurdles semifinals
1. Alaysha Johnson – 12.36q (SB)
Shot Put
3. Jaida Ross – 19.60m/64-3.75
For more news and information about Oregon cross country and track and field, follow @OregonTF on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Players Mentioned
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DIS
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Distance
/ Track and FieldAaliyah McCormick | NCAA 100M Hurdles National Champion
Thursday, June 19
Matti Erickson | NCAA 800M Runner Up
Saturday, June 14
Hayward Field History
Thursday, June 12
2024-25 Oregon Track & Field Intro Video
Thursday, June 12
