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LOCAL ATHLETES TO WATCH
Paralympian Swimmer and World Champion Gold Medalist, Noah Jaffe is 20 and grew up in Carlsbad. Born with cerebral palsy, Jaffe has never let his disability stop him. He started swimming competitively with North Coast Aquatics at age 10, learned that he was eligible for para swimming after watching the 2016 Rio Games, and later swam for San Dieguito Academy. Also possessing an impressive academic record, Jaffe went to UC Berkeley to study biochemistry and prepare for medical school. He is currently on leave while training for the upcoming Games.
At Jaffe’s first World Para Swimming Championship in 2023, he took home four medals in the S8 classification, including a gold (100m freestyle). He is the U.S. record holder in the 50m and 100m freestyle S8 men’s events. This summer, Jaffe hopes to compete in the 400m freestyle, 100m freestyle and 100m butterfly in Paris.
“Getting started with paralympic swimming not only grew my love for the sport, but also helped me see my disability as one of my greatest assets,” Jaffe says. “Sports are for everyone, regardless of ability, so I encourage anyone curious to give it a try!”
To follow Noah’s journey to Paris, tune in to the 2024 U.S. Paralympic Team Trials from June 27–29 in Minneapolis, MN. The 2024 Summer Paralympic Games (also in Paris) take place Aug. 28–Sept. 8.
Olympic Skateboarder, Bryce Wettstein is 20, but she’s been skateboarding in (and out of) Encinitas since she was 5. Wettstein qualified for the Tokyo Games when she was still in high school, experiencing her first thrill of Olympic competition and earning sixth place in Women’s Park Skateboarding. She is participating in two World Skate qualifier events (Shanghai and Budapest) to (hopefully) secure her spot in Paris.
“It’s such an honor to represent my country and have this opportunity to travel all over the world with Team USA support, (along with the support of many other sponsors and my parents), doing what I love,” says Wettstein. Learn more about Bryce in our February 2020 article: www.issuu.com/sandiegofamilymagazine/docs/ san_diego_family_february_2020/26.
To learn more about Team USA athletes, go to www.teamusa.com. For more information on the upcoming Games, visit www.olympics.com.
Lisa Pawlak
Photo courtesy of Noah Jaffe