The city of Midland honored a two-time Olympian with roots in the Permian Basin by proclaiming a day in his honor. September 24 was deemed Bryce Hoppel Day by the Midland City Council.
The city shared a Facebook Reel featuring Hoppel at city hall as Mayor Lori Blong read the proclamation.
According to the post, the former Midland High School Bulldog and University of Kansas (KU) Jayhawk said that Midland will always be home to him, thanking the community for its support.
Hoppel, who turned 27 on September 5, returned home after competing in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
The six-foot-tall athlete placed fourth in the men’s 800-meter final on the penultimate day of the Olympiad.
Clocking a time of 1:41.67, which was both a personal best and a new U.S. record, Hoppel left Paris as the fastest American in the 800-meter and the fourth-fastest in the world.
In a Facebook post following the race, the Midland Chamber thanked Hoppel for "inspiring us all and showing that hard work and dedication can take you anywhere."