Billy Mills

• Over 50 years later, millions of people are still mesmerized by Mills' dramatic Olympic win in the 10 K. • The second Native American to win a gold medal, Mills overcame poverty, racism, and family tragedy to fulfill his dream of becoming an Olympic champion. • Turning his victory into an opportunity to help his community, Mills founded Running Strong for American Indian Youth, a non-profit that has provided numerous opportunities and resources to young Native Americans. Gold medalist, Billy Mills wowed the world when he overtook the world’s highest performing runners in the home stretch of the 1964 Olympic 10,000-meter-dash. Mills, who had been given a 1,000 to 1 shot at winning, became the second Native American to win an Olympic gold medal and the only Olympic runner from the Western Hemisphere to ever win the 10,000-meter-dash. The ultimate dark horse, he continues to be one of the most uplifting and emotionally stirring stories in national folklore over half a century later. Mills buried his mother when he was 8 and his father when he was 12, but forever remembered the guiding words his father had given him: “now your wings are broken, but someday you’ll have the wings of an eagle.” Following another piece of advice from his father, Mills began to focus on a dream of winning an Olympics race after discovering that running helped him combat the loneliness, anger, and hatred he often felt. Though he won a scholarship to the University of Kansas for running, he was distressed by constant racism. In one instance when posing for a photo with the other winners of a collegiate competition, he was asked by the photographer -who referred to him as “the one with the darkest skin” – to step out of the picture. Upon graduation Mills served in the U.S. Marines Corps, eventually becoming a First Lieutenant. The experience boosted his esteem and renewed his desire to pursue Olympic gold. Though he just barely qualified for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, the day of his event, he managed to outrun 37 of the world’s top endurance runners including the world record holder and favorite, Australian Ron Clarke. The last seconds of that dramatic race were immortalized on American television when NBC analyst Dick Bank upstaged the play-by-play announcer, screaming, “Look at Mills! Look at Mills!” as the unknown Marine suddenly sprinted past Clarke and Mohammad Gammoudi to win gold and set a new Olympic record of 28:24.4. Returning to the U.S., Mills took his moment of glory as an opportunity to give back to his community. He created the non-profit organization Running Strong for American Indian Youth, which has raised millions of dollars to benefit Native American communities. Running Strong has built youth centers and three Native-owned dialysis clinics, drilled nearly 500 wells, grown sustainable gardens and created Native language-preservation programs. Mills has received numerous honors including a Presidential Citizens Medal from President Obama, a President’s Council Lifetime Achievement Award, and induction into the Olympic Hall of Fame.