Midland’s #1 story of 2021

While the Midland community continued to wrestle with the COVID pandemic, there was much more to 2021.

Midlanders had the chance to celebrate accomplishments at sports’ highest level, in the legislative halls and across the oilfield, where prices rebounded nicely.

1. Bryce Hoppel and Natalie Hinds qualify for the Olympics

One of the great moments in Midland sports history took place in 2021 as the Olympics featured two athletes raised here.

Midland High graduates Bryce Hoppel and Natalie Hinds thrilled a community by first qualifying for the U.S. teams in track and swimming, respectively, and then competing against the best in the world.

The two were the first to qualify for a U.S. Olympic team in more than 30 years and the first to compete going back to 1968. Both got through the Olympic Trials process, claiming the last spots in their respective events – Hoppel in track’s 800-meter run and Hinds as part of the 400-meter swimming relay.

Hinds even left Tokyo as the first Midlander to medal in the Olympic games since Doug Russell in 1968.

The two former state champions and collegiate standouts had Midlanders talking. One couldn’t drive without seeing them on billboards or go online without seeing Olympic updates. Their successes put Midland on the map, had people recalling their past successes and gave younger Midlanders athletes they could emulate.

During the fall, both were properly rewarded as they were both inducted to the Midland ISD Hall of Legends.

Legendary? That is exactly what Hoppel and Hinds have become.