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Matt Rizzo saved enough.
The Bronxville (NY) High School senior put himself in prime position on the last lap of the Millrose Games boys mile on Saturday and then threw down what was necessary to win in a US No. 1 time of 4:09.12 at the Armory in New York City.
Rizzo's 28.98 second last 200m was enough to hold off Jake Renfree (28.39 last lap) and Sean Dolan (28.85 last lap), and it was enough to surge past Loudoun Valley's Sam Affolder, who held a comfortable 3-second lead on the field with one 200m to go.
In the end, it was Rizzo, the first New York boy since 2015 to win the mile, who planned appropriately in the final 400 meters to win. His last two laps at the Armory went down in 58.66 seconds, and he came through in 3:40.15, with enough time to spare on Renfree (3:40.89) and Dolan (3:40.71), while all three chased down Affolder, who was in good position to win with one to go in 3:37.20.
Rizzo's enduring move was his final kick.
Renfree was second in 4:09.27, while Dolan, racing the mile for the third time in three weeks, was third in 4:09.55. Affolder was fourth in 4:09.68.
All 13 boys in the field broke 4:18.
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