Melodies on Wheels: Bryce Wettstein's Unique Olympic Journey

Bryce Wettstein, a 20-year-old skateboarder and musician from San Diego, is set to compete in the Paris Olympics. Known for her unique blend of skateboarding and ukulele playing, she aims to secure a medal while serenading the audience. Wettstein uses music as a coping mechanism during the competitions.

Keep an eye out for Bryce Wettstein when she and other skateboarders drop into the Paris Olympics' bowl. You can't miss her — she's likely to be the only one strumming a ukulele between runs.

At just 20 years old, this San Diego native stands out not only for her skateboarding prowess but also for her musical talents. Wettstein could emerge from the women's park competition Tuesday with a medal, new lyrics, or both. This two-time Olympian (she was the best-placed American woman in the park, finishing sixth at the Tokyo Games in 2021) spends her downtime in Paris musically productive, putting the finishing touches to a music video for a song she wrote before the Games. She called it "Perfect Moment" — which could be very fitting depending on how things go for her.

"It reminds me so much of skateboarding, the Olympics," she said. "I love it. It's like a little song about everything, finding that perfect moment." When asked if she would play it, she eagerly strummed her ukulele, bringing magic to the temporary skatepark in Concorde Plaza. Wettstein's voice, smoky in the lower register and sparkling up high, captivated all as she sang, "A perfect moment lasts so it can be found."

Her song, referencing her passion for skateboarding, came to her spontaneously in her home skate bowl. "I got the verse and then the chorus, and then the next part kind of came the next day,'' she said. "When you sing something, you know, you're like: 'That was it.' It's just so magical." Wettstein sees music as a performance enhancer. She said she'll bring her ukulele for the Olympic competition, "Music helps me take my mind off, honestly, the stress of anything," she said. "I always play music before I compete...Sometimes I can't not play. It's right there, you know?"

(With inputs from agencies.)