Thanks to an electrifying finish, Pennsauken’s Bryce Tucker won his first international championship Friday evening at the XXI PanAmerican Under-20 Championships.
Tucker won the 400-meter hurdles in 51.36 at José Antonio Figueroa Freyre Stadium in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, finishing two meters ahead of Puerto Rico’s Yan Vazquez, who was 2nd in 51.57.
It was a very fast early race, and Tucker was cruising along in a distant fifth place going into the second turn. At one point, he was as much as 15 meters behind the leaders. But he began making up ground on the final straight. He moved into 4th by the 8th hurdle and was in 3rd going over No. 9.
But he took the lead over the 10th and final 36-inch barrier and exploded to the line to win going away.
“I was just patient the whole way,” he said after the race on the live feed. “I saw where everyone was. I got to the 120 (meters left), I knew where my body was, I felt fine and just ran right through it.”
The time is Tucker’s 2nd-fastest. He ran 50.96 at Franklin High School in June to win his 3rd consecutive Meet of Champions title.
Tucker, who’ll be a freshman at Rutgers, placed 3rd at the U.S. Under-20 Championships but earned a lane at the PanAm Under-20s because the winner, Gage Goose of Lander (Wy.) Valley High was unable to make the trip.
Damon Frabotta, who recently finished his freshman year at Boston College, placed 2nd at the U.S. Under-20 meet in 51.89 but was 3rd Friday in 52.19 after leading early.
Both intermediate hurdles winners are from the Philadelphia area. Sanaa Hebron, a graduate of Neshaminy High in , won the women’s race in 56.90. Hebron recently finished her freshman year at Miami and was the ACC champ in the 400IH in a PR 56.08. She’s the daughter of former Eagles running back and kick returner Vaughn Hebron.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 