EUGENE, Ore. – On the strength of a collegiate record in the shot put, Jaida Ross has been named the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) National Athlete of the Week.
Ross put her name atop the all-time collegiate list with a historic measure of 19.71m/64-8 at the Triton Invitational in La Jolla, Calif., winning the elite section by more than five feet. She added marks of 18.72 and 18.66 meters in the fifth and sixth rounds, respectively, of her series. Ross entered the meet with a previous outdoor best of 18.49m/60-8 from last year’s Triton Invitational.
The Medford, Ore., native has the No. 2 throw by an American this year, and replaced the old record of 19.64m/64-5.25 set by Ohio State’s Adelaide Aquilla in 2022.
In addition to her record-breaking effort in the shot put, Ross tallied a lifetime best of 58.31m/191-4 in the discus. She finished sixth overall and fourth among collegians in the Triton elite field. Friday marked her first-career throw beyond 190 feet. Ross currently ranks third in the Pac-12 and 13th nationally.
This marks the sixth time the UO women have been recognized as National Athlete of the Week during the outdoor season. Ross is now part of the short list that also features Jenna Prandini, Raevyn Rogers, Deajah Stevens, Jorinde van Klinken and the 2017 sprint relays.
The Ducks’ outdoor campaign continues this week with entries at the Beach Invitational (April 12-13) and Bryan Clay Invitational (April 11-13).
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