Frustration recently turned into jubilation for Pennsauken's Bryce Tucker.
Tucker, one of the greatest 400-meter hurdlers in NJ history and the US high school leader in that event this season, just missed earning an automatic qualifying spot on the U20 US Team that will compete at the Pan American Junior Championships when he placed third in 52.00 at the U20 US Championships last week at Hayward Field in Oregon.
The Rutgers-bound Tucker finished just behind runner-up Damon Frabotta of Boston College, who ran51.89, and Gage Gose of Lander Valley High in Wyoming, who won the race in 51.67. The top two finishers automatically qualified for the U20 US team.
But as first reported by South Jersey track and field reporter and historian Reuben Frank, Tucker, the first alternate in the 400 hurdles, has been added to the US team that will compete in the Pan Am U20 Championships Aug. 4-6 in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico.
Tucker confirmed the news.
"Yes, I was added to the US U20 team, Tucker said. "Someone didn't have their passport, so I was next up as an alternate,.''
Tucker joined Nate Rayan of Scotch Plains-Fanwood on the U20 US Team. Rayan qualified by winning the 110 hurdles in 13.40, No. 2 in NJ history at the U20 UC Championships.
Tucker solidified his place as an all-time great in NJ history last month when he staged a big rally over the final 25 meters to become the first boy in NJ history to win 3 straight 400 hurdle title at the Meet of Champions, and his time of 50.96 is No. 5 in state history, No. 2 in meet history, and was the fastest by a high school athlete in the U.S. this season.