Billy Mills

He attended the University of Kansas on an athletic scholarship and was a three-time NCAA All-America cross-country runner. In 1960 he won the individual title at the Big Eight cross-country championship. While he competed at Kansas, the track team won the 1959 and 1960 outdoor national championships.

After graduating in 1962 with a degree in physical education, Mills entered the United States Marine Corps. He was a First Lieutenant in the Marine Corps Reserve when he competed in the 1964 Olympics.

Mills qualified for the 1964 Summer Olympics on the U.S. Track and Field Team in the 10,000 meter and the marathon. The favorite in 1964 for the 10,000 m was Ron Clarke of Australia, who held the world record. The runners expected to challenge him were defending champion Pyotr Bolotnikov of the Soviet Union, and Murray Halberg of New Zealand, who had won the 5,000 m in 1960.

Mills later set U.S. records for 10,000 m (28:17.6) and the three-mile run, and had a 5,000 m best of 13:41.4. In 1965, he and Gerry Lindgren both broke the world record for the six-mile run when they finished in a tie at the AAU National Championships, running 27:11.6.

Mills and Clarke were running together, with Gammoudi immediately behind, as they entered the final lap. They were lapping other runners, and Clarke was boxed in down the backstretch. He pushed Mills once, then again. Then Gammoudi pushed them both and surged into the lead as they rounded the final curve. Clarke recovered and began chasing Gammoudi while Mills appeared to be too far back to be in contention. Clarke failed to catch Gammoudi, but Mills pulled out to lane 4 and sprinted past them both. His winning time of 28:24.4 was almost 50 seconds faster than he had run before and set a new Olympic record for the event. No American had before won the 10,000 m, nor did any other American come close until Galen Rupp took the silver in the 2012 London Olympics.

LOOK AT MILLS! Happy Birthday Billy Mills!!

Wishing a Happy 82nd Birthday to Billy Mills! He won the 10,000m Gold at the 1964 Olympics, becoming the only person from the Western hemisphere to win the Olympic gold in this event. This was one of the greatest Olympic upsets, since Mills was virtually unknown coming into the race. World record ho...

Gold Medal Oglala Lakota Olympian Billy Mills Celebrates his 79th Birthday

Today Billy Mills is not only the only Native American to win the 10,000 meter gold medal, but he is still the only American citizen to win ...

Billy Mills: An American Hero For The Ages / And A Better Man Than Myth | GregHallKC