Thriving on world stage, former North Medford High star revels in showing young girls that top athletes come in all shapes and sizes

In the scope of about a year, Medford’s Jaida Ross has been on quite a joy ride.

From NCAA outdoor champion in the women’s shot put to a fourth-place showing at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

From helping Oregon claim a national championship at the NCAA Indoor Championships to turning pro and competing in the 2025 Diamond League.

Through all the trials and tribulations, including earning a master’s degree in prevention science, a few things have remained clear for Ross.

The former North Medford High star absolutely loves following her passion on the track and field national stage, and she takes tremendous pride in the powerful message she continues to send that world-class athletes come in all shapes and sizes.

It’s a lifestyle that Ross dreamed of in her younger days, and has worked diligently to achieve ever since.

“This is everything I wanted growing up,” said the 23-year-old Ross, fresh off a third-place showing at the 50th Prefontaine Classic Saturday at Hayward Field in Eugene. “This is everything I manifested and dreamed about as a kid — maybe not exactly unfolding like this because I really wanted to be a soccer player when I was younger — but I wanted to be a professional athlete and I wanted to go to college.”

“That was my big goal,” she added. “I wanted to be good at what I did. I wanted to inspire people. This is really like my dream job, and everything that I’ve been dreaming of my whole life. I like to think (younger Jaida) believed we could get there, and here we are just chugging along every day.”

None of it has come easy.

Competing with the best the world has to offer in your chosen field can be humbling at times, and can also lift you beyond your perceived limitations.

Ross owns the collegiate record in the women’s shot put after becoming the first collegiate woman to break 20 meters with her throw of 20.01 meters (65 feet, 7.75 inches) in 2024. That feat also made her just the seventh woman in American history to pass the 20-meter mark.

This past Saturday, Ross set a personal best on her second attempt in the Prefontaine Classic at 20.13 meters, which was good for third place behind top-ranked American Chase Jackson, who set a meet record at 20.94 meters, and Canada’s Sarah Mitton (20.39).

Ross also went exactly 20 meters on her third attempt, and served up a throw of 19.64 on her sixth and final attempt in her home turf at Hayward Field.

The top five finishers each eclipsed the 20-meter mark.

“That was an insane field,” said Ross. “Five women over 20 is so unheard of, but women’s shot is so elite right now. It’s so awesome to be part of it.”

“For me, it’s two throws over 20 meters, when I’ve had three in my life,” she added, “and kind of after a struggle of a season to see some good results come out, it felt really good, and it was just really fulfilling. Honestly, it’s just like all the hard work is paying off, and some consistency added to it, so it felt good. I wouldn’t say it felt great, so I think there’s more, for sure, but it’s definitely good to see some nice results.”

It was also special having such a promising showing in front of her family on hand, as well as all the Oregon supporters who have taken her in since joining the Ducks.

“Oh my gosh, it was everything,” Ross said of setting a PR. “My whole family got to see and that was my first home meet of the year, so it was perfect timing. That was just awesome.”

Ross said she definitely felt a homefield advantage, and the packed house provided an electric atmosphere Saturday.

“Honestly, I just have this pride of Hayward Field, and it just feels good to be in there,” she said. “And then on top of that, it was sold out so there’s so many people, and you just feel the love. It’s such an awesome atmosphere.”

And Ross knows a little something about atmospheres, having had the “best first Olympics I could ask for” last summer in Paris, as well as already competing internationally in China after signing professionally with Nike and the Oregon Track Club this past April.

She returns to Hayward Field on Aug. 2 to compete in the shot put at the 2025 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, with the top four finishers qualifying for the 2025 World Athletics Championships to be held this September in Tokyo.

It’s all a process toward hopefully gaining another chance at an Olympic medal when the Summer Games come to Los Angeles in 2028.

That process, for those curious in the daily routine of a world-class shot putter, includes four weightlifting workouts per week, throwing three times per week, sprinting twice a week, general fitness training once or twice per week and yoga in the mornings.

Things have become a little easier with the academic side of her life taken care of, although now she’s having to learn to navigate her overall schedule as an open competitor outside of the collegiate umbrella.

“It’s pretty packed,” Ross said of her weekly routine. “It’s a full-time job, so it fills my day, for sure.”

But it’s a passion worth chasing, and a shot put community that she revels in being part of every time out.

Ross competed in soccer, basketball and track and field while growing up — and was an academic standout at North Medford High and Logos Charter School while also working a part-time job — but the shot put has captivated her like no other.

“If you watch a meet, you’ll see your biggest competitor is cheering for every girl in the ring,” said Ross. “We want to win the meet but, at the same time, I’m cheering for everybody there. It’s so community-based. Everybody’s so loving and supportive, and it’s just such a good group to be a part of.”

“On top of that, it’s kind of just what my body’s made for,” she added. “I did all the sports, and this was kind of the one where I’m like, OK this is me. I’m not made to run two miles a day for soccer. I’m not made to do this and that for basketball. I’m not very tall (at 5-foot-7), but I can lift well, and I’m pretty explosive. It’s just kind of what I found where my body fits the best.”

And, as much as anything, being a positive role model for others like Ross — especially children — has been paramount.

“I think my biggest why in this sport is to kind of motivate youth,” she said. “On top of that, I just love doing this. I love being able to motivate kids, especially bigger kids. I was a bigger kid when I was younger, and I was just always around skinny girls, and it was so hard for me, and I didn’t learn until later in life that big bodies are powerful and strong, and I don’t have to be skinny to be a good athlete.

“So I think it’s important for me to kind of show women and show little girls that you don’t have to fit the mold, and you can be powerful and strong, and your body is athletic no matter what size it is.”

Reach sports editor Kris Henry at kris.henry@rv-times.com or 458-488-2035