Former KU runner Bryce Hoppel fails to advance in 800 amid controversy at world meet
Former University of Kansas middle distance runner/2020 Olympian Bryce Hoppel did not advance to the semifinal round of the 800 after placing fifth in the controversial third heat of the event Wednesday at the World Athletics Outdoor Track & Field Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.
Hoppel, a 24-year-old native of Midland, Texas, who won the 800 at the recent USATF Outdoor championships, appeared to be shoved by Brandon McBride of Canada early in lap one of the two-lap, first-round 800 qualifying race.
Hoppel stumbled after McBride made contact with him but was able to continue. McBride fell and placed last in 1:57.43.
Hoppel, who was timed in 1:46.98, needed to finish in the top three in his heat to automatically advance to the second round. Top three finishers in each of the six heats plus the runners with the next six best times advanced.
Hoppel’s time did not meet that top six standard. He had completed the 800 in the USATF meet in 1:44.58.
“There was definitely a lot of pushing and shoving there,” Hoppel said after the race in an interview with NBC Sports analyst Lewis Johnson. Hoppel’s comments were transcribed by, and appeared in a writeup of the race by the Midland Reporter-Telegram.
“We just didn’t get the job done,” Hoppel added. “Once that happened, we need to adapt to it. I definitely need to go find a U.S. official right now because there was way too much (contact) going on out there,” Hoppel added.
Hoppel, the American indoor record holder in the 1,000 meters, did indeed appeal after replays clearly showed him getting shoved by McBride.
In his Twitter post an hour after the race, Hoppel wrote: “@WorldAthletics decision after protest and appeal. All Clean.” Hoppel, while showing class in accepting the decision, added a thumbs up emoji to his tweet.
Hoppel added on Twitter in another post: “They decided there was no obstructions in that encounter.”
One broadcaster’s call of the race seemed to indicate Hoppel could have, and maybe should have, won his appeal.
“He (McBride) gives Bryce Hoppel the big ol’ shove out of the way,” the broadcaster said in a clip that appeared on Ben Peck’s Twitter account.
Hoppel actually recovered from his stumble to enter the home stretch in third place. He was passed by Kenya’s Emmanuel Wanyonyi (1:46.45) for the third qualifying spot and Belgium’s Eliott Crestan for fourth (1:46.61). Moad Zahafi of Morocco placed first in the heat in 1:46.15. France’s Gabriel Tual was second in (1:46.34).
Hoppel placed 15th in the 800 in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. In 2019, he placed fourth in the 800 in the world championships. He placed first in the 800 in both the 2019 NCAA Indoor and Outdoor meets. In 2019 he also was a Big 12 indoor 800 and outdoor 800 champ. Hoppel also won gold in the 800 at the 2020 USATF indoor championships. He won bronze in the 800 at the 2020 USATF Outdoor.
According to track writer Jonathan Gault, the U..S will have no men in the second round of the 800 at the Worlds for the first time ever. The U.S. runners finished 1-4-8 in the 800 in the last world championships.
This story was originally published July 21, 2022 at 10:55 AM with the headline "Former KU runner Bryce Hoppel fails to advance in 800 amid controversy at world meet."
