LAUREL — United States Olympian Bryce Hoppel didn't run competitively in Montana while growing up, but he has a large fan base in Yellowstone County.
Hoppel's father Monty is one of six siblings to have graduated from Laurel High School and is now located in Texas. Uncle Matt is still around the Laurel area and held a watch party Saturday for Bryce's 800-meter final from Stad de France in Paris.
"Friends, family, everything. From Day 1 they've been so supportive. Just coming from Laurel roots, Montana roots. Huge following with him and so positive with everything. He's had his ups and downs, but (Saturday) was a victory," Matt Hoppel told MTN Sports.
Saturday wasn’t a golden moment for Bryce, as he finished in fourth place just 0.17 seconds shy of a bronze medal. Still, Bryce’s time of 1:41.67 seconds was good enough to establish a new American record at 800 meters.
“He hit his personal best. That's all we can ask. He keeps increasing it. (Saturday) was a tough race. We knew it would be the fastest 800 ever, and it was," Matt Hoppel said.
Though the families are separated by nearly 1,200 miles, Matt says they’ll meet in Steamboat Springs, Colo., every so often and that Bryce is extremely close with his children.
Although Bryce didn’t finish atop the podium in Paris, the Hoppel name is now etched in the record books.
“He's the fastest American ever. Yeah, he didn't get the medal but it doesn't matter. We know how good he is. Everybody knows how good he is," cousin Jaela Hoppel said. "He's got it and he should be proud of that, just like we all are."
“It's huge, because when we first started following him Donovan Brasier was the guy. Everybody we had, he was the guy. Guess what? (Bryce) just beat Donovan Brasier's time, and I'm super proud of that man," Matt Hoppel said.
