Why KU Jayhawks’ Bryce Hoppel faced ‘stressful and super scary’ lead-up to Olympics

Olympic qualifier Bryce Hoppel has to be honest now: He had no idea how his body would respond during last month’s 800-meter runs at the U.S. track and field trials.

Ahead of some of the biggest races of his life, Hoppel — a former University of Kansas runner from Midland, Texas — had gone a few weeks where he hadn’t been able to sprint without pain; in May, he had strained his right quad during workouts in Lawrence, leading to what he called a “stressful and super scary” time.

A year earlier, he’d felt fully ready for an Olympics push before the pandemic pushed it back. Now, months of hard work seemed to be in jeopardy, as he had to rely on trainers who told him that his injury could only be helped with time and rest.

“The two things we did not have,” Hoppel said.

He still remained patient. Instead of sharpening his speed in the final weeks, Hoppel spent most of his time in the training room, getting massages and treatment designed to prevent the muscle from tearing.

The ultimate test came in Eugene, Oregon. While stretching for his first race at the U.S. Olympic Trials in late June, Hoppel said he came to the realization his leg didn’t hurt like it previously did. By the final, though, his quad once again had become inflamed and agitated.

“But it’s like, ‘Oh it’s not restricting my stride where it’s not letting me sprint,’” Hoppel said. “It was just like, ‘You’ve just got to get through the pain now.’”

He did — just enough so — to finish third in 1 minute, 44.14 seconds, clinching his place at the Tokyo Olympics, where he begins competition at 7:50 p.m. Central time on Friday.

The aspirations will be reset then. Hoppel, with a few more weeks of rest, hopes to be back to full strength for his first race.

“I know that competition. I know the guys that I’ll be racing against,” Hoppel said. “I don’t want to settle for anything less than a medal.”

The goal isn’t far-fetched if Hoppel is healthy.

The 23-year-old — he turned pro after his junior season at KU — finished fourth in the World Outdoor Championship in 2019 with a time of 1:44.25.

“Everything’s available for him. He knows that,” said Michael Whittlesey, KU’s middle-distance coach and Hoppel’s personal instructor. “That’s the goal, and that’s the focus. Ultimately, you want to win.”

To get there, Hoppel knows he’ll have to maintain focus.

The quarterfinal and semifinal races can be grueling. Those set up as no-win situations for Hoppel, as he’s expected to advance but still must perform to make it to the finals.

If he gets there, Hoppel says it becomes fun again. That’s when he’d potentially be able to give his all while aiming for an Olympic medal.

“My personal goal is definitely to get on that podium,” Hoppel said.

If he does so, it’ll be the culmination of years of development while on KU’s campus.

Hoppel, who trained in Lawrence this past season while also serving as a KU volunteer coach, has improved his 800 time by more than five seconds since his first outdoor races as a freshman in 2017.

Whittlesey says he’s seen Hoppel progress in many ways over that time. For one, he says Hoppel now knows to trust his kick no matter his positioning, something he learned his sophomore year when he fell to the back of the pack early in the 800-meter indoor championship before finishing eighth. At the time, Hoppel didn’t believe he had the burst to get back into it.

That mindset changed in the NCAA Outdoor championships right after that, as Hoppel found himself in a similar position midway through the race before turning it on late to take fourth.

While Hoppel had a good final kick in high school, Whittlesey said he’s now developed that skill into one of his biggest strengths. That showed through in the 2019 World Championships, when Hoppel’s final 100 meters was faster than every other competitor.

“So much of that comes from his competitiveness,” Whittlesey said, “and willingness to ignore what discomfort his body’s in and taking care of what needs to be done at the end of the race.”

Whittlesey also has seen Hoppel develop into a savvy racer who has a knack for competing in the biggest moments.

So will it all come together for him during one magical run in Tokyo?

Whittlesey says it’s definitely possible.

“I don’t want to say the right race has to be there, but anytime you’re trying to win something that special, some things have to fall in place,” Whittlesey said. “Your preparation is the first and foremost.

“The preparation is you have to believe that you can do it, and that’s something Bryce absolutely believes.”