Deuteragonist

Deuteragonist [doo-də-RAH-gə-nəst] is a person second in importance to the protagonist, the main character, and a new one on me. This word originates from the Greek deuteragōnistēs, which comes from deuteros, meaning “second”, and agōnistēs, meaning “actor”.

Wordgenius says, “A deuteragonist isn’t necessarily the same from one story to the next. A deuteragonist may be on the protagonist’s side, like a sidekick or a love interest. Or they can be a villain, foil, or primary rival the protagonist must defeat. The deuteragonist can simply serve a neutral role, too.”

If one of my students finishes second in anything, I will call him or her a deuteragonist. After all, there is agony in finishing anything but first.