Was it when she booked her travel to Paris? Or perhaps when she received her Team USA gear for the upcoming Summer Games?

Was one of those moments when it really set in for Jaida Ross that the Oregon senior from Medford really was going to compete at the Olympics?

“Interesting enough,” Ross said earlier this week, a smile creeping across her face, “it was submitting my whereabouts to USA Track and Field. They have to know where I am every day, all the time — so they can drug test me whenever they want. I feel like a real pro when I have to submit where I am every day.”

That may not be one of the more glorious aspects of becoming an Olympian. But Ross is soaking it up with everything else that comes with the experience, along with 21 other athletes with Oregon ties competing over the next two weeks in Paris.

Ross, the reigning NCAA champion in the shot put, is one of 15 track and field Ducks participating in the Summer Olympics. Oregon is also represented by six basketball players, and men’s golfer Wyndham Clark.

Four current Ducks will compete in Paris, including incoming transfer Elisa Mevius, who will play 3×3 basketball for her native Germany. The other three compete in track and field — Ross for the United States, Shana Grebo in the 400 hurdles for France and Klaudia Kazimierska in the 1,500 meters for Poland.

Kazimierska hit the Olympic standard and ran a UO record of 4:01.89 in her native country a month ago, and later won the Polish national title. While Ross already is in Paris, Kazimierska planned to travel there closer to the start of her first race, on Aug. 6.

“The closer we get, the more excited I am,” Kazimierska said on a Zoom call with Eugene media this week. “Training has been going well. I’m really peaking for this meet, and I’m getting more and more excited because of it.”

Kazimierska is joined in the 1,500 field by UO alums Susan Ejore and Jessica Hull. Ross will throw the shot with her former UO teammate Jorinde Van Klinken, who is also entered in the discus. And among Kazimierska’s Polish teammates is Aneta Konieczek in the 3,000 steeplechase.

Other UO track and field alums in Paris include Cole Hocker in the men’s 1,500, Alaysha Johnson in the 100 hurdles, Emmanuel Ihemeje Jr. in the triple jump, Claire Michel in the triathlon, Alessia Zarbo in the 10,000, and Kemba Nelson, Jenna Prandini and Kyree King in the relay pools for their respective countries.

The first UO alum to begin competition will be men’s basketball player Dillon Brooks for Team Canada, in pool play against Greece on Saturday at noon PT. The first UO women’s basketball alum to compete will be Maite Cazorla with Spain on Sunday, followed by Sabrina Ionescu, Satou Sabally and Nyara Sabally on Monday. Mevius begins play Tuesday, when Michel races in the triathlon, and men’s golf tees off Thursday.

Ross doesn’t begin throwing until Aug. 8, but she got to France early to participate in Friday’s Opening Ceremonies. She’s excited to see the city of Paris, meet fellow Olympians and learn about their cultures.

And then, she’s excited to get down to business.

“It’s a cautious excitement, because I want to make sure I’m prepared and ready to go,” Ross said. “So it’s a good balance right now. …

“I don’t say this every meet, but I would love a PR. I would love a big throw. I definitely want to make it finals. I want to go out there and just give every bit that I have left in me.”