Family, former coaches watch Oregon's Jaida Ross at U.S. Olympic Trials: ‘dream come true’

Amanda Krug sat nervously with her hands close to her face as she watched her daughter Jaida Ross on Saturday.

"I've never been nervous for any of her soccer games or track meets or basketball or football, but I've been so nervous I want to throw up," Krug told The Register-Guard, laughing. "Constantly like anxiety. I'm so nervous. She's not so nervous. She's like, 'We're gonna be calm, cool and confidence.'"

As the Oregon senior prepared to enter the shot put ring at the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials at Hayward Field, Krug stood up, threw her a couple air kisses, cheers and even a dance.

Ross threw 64 feet, 3¾ inches on her second attempt and fell short at bettering her mark on her sixth attempt to finish third in the women's final and qualify for the Paris Olympic Games later this summer.

Krug was at a loss of words and began to get teary eyed before she pulled down her "ROSS" baseball cap over her face. She was quickly embraced with a hug by Ross' former North Medford High School head track coach, Pieter Voskes, who was in attendance a couple of rows back along with her former throws coach, Aaron Williams.

Williams had many words to describe watching Ross — remarkable, fascinating and unbelievable.

"It's a dream come true," Williams said. "It's a very small percentage of high school coaches that get a chance to see any athlete come to this level let alone collegiate level, Division I level. I just told Pieter; I have to pinch myself to come in here because it's hard to believe that she's already here and doing it at such a young age."

On the other hand, Voskes has seen the same version of Ross from junior high when she initially pushed back at the idea of track and field to now.

"If you wanted a template of how to represent a community, your family and yourself, it's Jaida Ross," Voskes said.

Also in attendance were Ross' grandparents, Mike Krug and Kay Krug, wearing identical "Ross is Boss" shirts, aunt and uncle Shannon Krug and Todd Krug, college roommate Talia Baker and a few other friends.

Grandpa Mike Krug felt relieved as the meet was over but during, he said, the event's most stressful part was "when she started out number one, went to number two and then number three and then hung in there."

Coming into the meet, Baker had told Ross she felt like she was going to cry if her roommate qualified for the Olympics. That day came and so did the tears.

"Once that fourth(-place) thrower threw (her final attempt), it became real," Baker said. "Seeing her realize that was probably the best part."

With the Paris Olympics only weeks away, Baker is thinking about attending.

As for Amanda Krug, she said her plan is to start a GoFundMe to help pay for the flight given she waited until Ross secured her spot. She also put together a portion of her money through her three jobs and donations from work clients.

Williams and Voskes are still deciding if they will travel to Paris but jokingly said if they do decide to go, their spouses said they are going as well.

"I can't think of a closer-knit community that would want to be there more than this one to support her," Williams said.

Edith Noriega is a sports reporter for The Register-Guard. You may reach her at ENoriega@gannett.com and follow her on X at @Noriega_Edith .

This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Family, former coaches watch Oregon's Jaida Ross at U.S. Olympic Trials: ‘dream come true’