TEENAGE sprinter Richard Buck will be running for England in the Commonwealth Games in March after a shock late call-up.

The 19-year-old Nestl Rowntree Athletics Club star has been drafted into the 4x400 metres relay squad for the Melbourne Games in March after Graham Hedman withdrew due to injury.

Buoyed by the news, Buck enthused: "It's great. I thought it was getting too late for the call-up but I thought if someone was going to get a call, then it would have been me. It was still a massive surprise though.

"It's a great opportunity because I'm obviously looking to smash through into the senior rankings next year."

In December 2004 he ran to an individual bronze medal in the Commonwealth Youth Games in Bendigo, just outside Melbourne.

Buck only just missed out on this year's original squad list after 400m hurdler Chris Rawlinson was given a place ahead of him because of his involvement in the individual event, despite posting a slower 400m flat time last season.

Hedman's injury has now given him the golden opportunity he has been seeking to break through and start etching his mark on the world scene.

As part of his preparation for the Games, he will get two run-outs under the Team England banner at the indoor internationals in Bratislava on January 29 and Vienna two days later - and he is keen to get the maximum he can out of them.

Pickering-based Buck, who got the call while training at Next Generation, said: "I've got a couple of internationals at the end of this month and I'm looking to get some really quick times under my belt to justify my place in the team and also show the selectors that I can do it to give me the best chance of not only running in the heats, but also making it to the final squad."

Buck's Games debut is set for March 24 in the evening session, which will start at 7.30am UK time. An impressive showing could see him continue through the rounds and into the final.

His five team-mates include Martyn Rooney, with whom he raced to European Junior 4x400m gold last summer, Andrew Steele, Robert Tobin, Malachi Davies and hurdler Rawlinson.

Buck's coach Geoff Barraclough said: "It's a marvellous opportunity. It's a marvellous springboard for him.

"Later on this year it's the European Championships and this is a marvellous stepping stone for that.

"It bodes well for the future and you have to look ahead to 2012 and the London Olympics as well."

Updated: 09:58 Saturday, January 14, 2006