San Diego's coastal north county is unofficially known as the skateboarding capital of the world, but Bryce Wettstein is one of the few originals who made it to medal territory at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Watch the replay on NBC 7 at 11:30 p.m.
Wettstein, who was born and raised in Encinitas where she still lives with her parents and younger sister, ended these Olympics in the same place she finished in Toyko: sixth place with a top score of 88.12 in women's park skateboarding.
Arisa Trew of Australia is taking the gold medal (93.18), Cocona Hiraki will take the silver (92.63) and Sky Brown of Great Britain gets the bronze (92.31).
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Trew's gold is Australia's first ever, a history-making feat for the 14-year-old.
In July, Wettstein was named one of 12 skaters to earn a trip to the Paris Olympics. She was named to Team USA's inaugural skateboarding team at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics where she finished in 6th place as the top placing American.
The 20-year-old junior college student now travels the world in international competitions while maintaining her studies at home.
The balancing act is something Wettstein embraces while also choosing to pursue her love of poetry and music.
Here are 5 things to know about Bryce Wettstein:
- Wettstein learned to skate at 5 years old in her backyard when the family built the "Iguana Bowl" which is named after their former family pet which would often cruise around inside.
- Wettstein graduated from San Dieguito Academy High School in Encinitas and now attends MiraCosta Community College
- Wettstein recently recorded her first song which you can now find on many music platforms
- The daughter of a real estate agent and commercial airline pilot, Wettstein's parents say skateboarding is "her thing", although they enjoy it as a fun pastime.
- When she isn't skateboarding, Wettstein enjoys snowboarding, surfing, writing in her journal, and playing her ukulele
