“Now we get to go after the fun stuff and add some icing to the cake there over in Paris hopefully.” Bryce Hoppel said last year. The 2x American Olympian Bryce Hoppel has captivated the country with his historically impressive feats. But he didn’t reach the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris alone; his successful career has been attributed to his supportive family.

Hoppel qualified for Team USA with an outstanding 800-meter performance of 1:42:77 at the Olympic Team Trials. He spoke with obvious delight, saying, “It’s kind of surreal to finally be getting into those ranks of like one of the fastest of all time.” His family, who have supported him from early dawn practices through the Olympic trials. But who actually are they? Let’s deep dive!

Who is Bryce Hoppel’s father?

When Bryce Hoppel charges down the track as one of America’s elite 800-meter runners, there’s always one proud dad watching from the stands, and that is Monty Hoppel. But Monty isn’t just any proud parent; being a General Manager of the Midland RockHounds, a Double-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics, he knows a thing or two about sports management.

But his athletic roots run deep, and back in the day, Monty was tearing up the track at Laurel High School in Montana, helping his team win two state championships in the 400 relay. “I didn’t know anything about the 800,” he once admitted to MRT. “I’m sure my times weren’t great, but we won two state championships in the big town of Laurel, Montana.”

When it came to Bryce’s running career, Monty kept his advice simple: “God gave you great ability; let’s see what you can do with it.” He’d drive his son to early morning cross-country workouts, encouraging that solid work ethic, and the proud dad was thrilled to finally attend the Olympics in person after Tokyo’s no-fan policy. “Last time in Tokyo, no fans, so we get to go to an incredible city, an incredible stadium that’s going to be packed and be part of the action there and see Bryce run every day,” Monty said to NewsWest9, barely containing his excitement last year.

Who is Bryce Hoppel’s mother?

Behind every great athlete is a mom who’s been there from day one, and for Bryce Hoppel, that’s Rita Hoppel. A former athlete herself, Rita competed in volleyball, softball, and basketball growing up in Tucson, Arizona. This firsthand experience gave her a special eye for talent, especially when it came to her son. “Just his speed on the basketball court was very noticeable to us,” Rita once shared with MRT, recalling how spectators would be amazed at how quickly Bryce would dart down the court.

As a mother of three daughters, Kelsey and Megan, and a son, Bryce, Rita balances family life with active involvement in St. Ann’s Catholic Church in Midland, Texas. She still laughs about the day high-school Bryce declared he’d make the Olympics. “We said, ‘Okay, Bryce, sure. That’s a good goal to have,” Rita recalled with a smile, never imagining how prophetic those words would become.

Today, alongside her husband, Monty, Rita is Bryce’s biggest cheerleader, traveling to meets and celebrating every achievement. The support hasn’t gone unnoticed, and Bryce has publicly thanked his mom, even sharing Mother’s Day selfies on social media to show his appreciation.

What is Bryce Hoppel’s Parents’ nationality?

Bryce Hoppel’s parents, Monty and Rita Hoppel, are American nationals and have supported their son throughout his track career as he developed into an elite middle-distance runner competing at the highest levels of the sport.

Meet the track stars’ supportive siblings

Megan Ochoa and Kelsey Hoppel, Bryce Hoppel’s two elder sisters, are part of his backbone circle. The two sisters spoke openly about how proud they are of Bryce and how much they feel he has accomplished. “Seeing him out there on the USA Olympic stage, I mean the world stage at that, and just representing the USA makes me so proud,” said Kelsey. Megan expressed similar feelings, emphasizing how awful it is to watch her brother fight at such a high level.

Moreover, Bryce has a close relationship with his sisters, Megan and Kelsey, who both treasure their time spent with him. “Timing-wise, we always have a countdown, like all of us,” Ochoa stated. Bryce takes time for his family despite his hectic schedule, demonstrating how much they mean to him.

Additionally, the siblings of Bryce also closely monitor his performance; they frequently mark the minutes till his races and take note of what he does for stress relief. “We write down the times just to see, to calm our nerves a little bit and be like, oh yeah, he’s in,” Hoppel explained. This carefully tracked shows the extent of their commitment and backing for Bryce’s career.

Bryce is heading to the Olympics with his family. He attributes his success to his mother’s emotional support, his sisters’ attentive supervision, and his father’s race preparations. In their tight-knit family, Bryce thrives, knowing he has a strong support network. Undoubtedly, Bryce Hoppel will draw motivation from his family’s encouragement and presence as he prepares for the 2024 Olympics in Paris.