Dameworth Wins Mile in Millrose Meet

Start spreadin’ the news. Bryan Dameworth and his vagabond shoes overcame a “horrendous start” and pre-race jitters to win the high school mile at the Millrose Games on Friday night at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Dameworth, of Agoura High, was bumped about at the start but moved into the lead at the halfway point before pulling away to win easily in 4 minutes 14.52 seconds. Martin Keino of Virginia’s Fork Union Military Academy was second in 4:16.63.

“He felt confident he could have run faster,” said Dameworth’s stepfather and coach, Bill Duley. “He said he ran very easy. He felt he could have run 4:10.”

Dameworth, who won the high school mile in last month’s Sunkist Invitational in Los Angeles, had yet to lose a race this school year. In the fall, he capped an unbeaten cross-country season by winning the Kinney national cross-country championships.

That streak is likely to end Feb. 16 when Dameworth will meet Jeff Atkinson and three-time Olympian Steve Scott in the open mile at the Times/Eagle Indoor Games at the Forum.

The high school mile, which matched the fastest prep field of the year, started 45 minutes late. By that time, Duley said, Dameworth was a nervous wreck.

“He said that affected him, and then he got a terrible start,” Duley said. “Without that, he felt confident he could have run faster.”