Dallas resident Bryce Hoppel is headed to the Paris Olympics thanks to a record-breaking time and first-place finish in the 800-meter final at Olympic trials in Eugene, Oregon.
“I just went out there and wanted to take it,” Hoppel said. “I wanted to make it fast. I’m just glad to come out here and blessed to have all these people behind me. My family and everyone behind me so I am incredibly blessed,” Hoppel said just after the race.”
His time of 1:42:77 was good enough for a U.S. Olympic trials record.
It's Hoppel’s seventh U.S. championship title in the 800m & also the third fastest American 800m time in the history of the two-lap distance.
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Hoppel, who is originally from Midland but trains in Dallas, said before the race that he felt like he was in the shape of his life.
Before trials, he told NBC 5 he knew exactly what he needed to do to win.
“My personal best is a minute and 43 seconds. I’m hoping to get it down to a minute and 42 seconds this year. If I can do that, we are going for the Olympic gold medal,” Hoppel said back in March.
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He was just a few seconds shy of the current world record is held by David Rudisha of Kenya in 2012 at the London Olympics, which was 1:41.
The Olympian made his first appearance at the Games during the Tokyo Olympics and hoping to medal in Paris.
