'A big deal': Rogers takes bronze in 800 meter race

A Houstonian athlete has medaled in a track and field event this week at the Tokyo Olympics leaving her family and the city in a celebratory mood.

Raevyn Rogers won the bronze medal in the 800 meter race and received a triumphant tweet from Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner.

"Congratulations to #Houston’s own Raevyn Rogers (@TheROYALlife21) for winning bronze in the 800m race this morning,” he wrote. “The City of Houston is extremely proud of you and this significant accomplishment."

The win was especially poignant for Rogers, who medaled on her mother's birthday.

"It's my mom's birthday. So to really start her day off in Texas, in Houston just celebrating her whole day while I'm going to go to sleep, it's a huge accomplishment," Rogers told PEOPLE.

Rogers finished the event down the home stretch, barely edging out the next competitors as the third- through fifth-place finishers were only separated by two-tenths of a second.

Rogers’ mom, Rhonda Rogers-Hunt, said that she was thrilled that her daughter was able to medal at the Olympics.

"I thank Him [God] for letting Raevyn be safe and coming across that [finish] line, with her bringing home some hardware for her mother for a happy birthday," she said. "I'm just happy. I'm overjoyed — full of joy, just full of joy right now."

Rogers, who graduated from The Kinkaid School, recorded a personal best time of 1:56.81 in the close race, which was won by Texas A&M track and field star Athing Mu.

She was all smiles after the event when reflecting on the trying year she endured due to the COVID-19 pandemic and having to move across country, and train with new coaches

"I'm an Olympic medalist, a bronze medalist. To be that top in the world is a big deal," Rogers said.