Billy Mills facts for kids
Mills (left) and Gammoudi at the 1964 Olympics
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| Personal information | |||||||||||
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| Native name | Tamakhóčhe Theȟíla | ||||||||||
| Full name | William Mervin Mills | ||||||||||
| Nationality | Oglala Sioux Tribe, American | ||||||||||
| Born | June 30, 1938 Pine Ridge, South Dakota, U.S. |
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| Alma mater | Haskell Institute University of Kansas |
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| Height | 180 cm | ||||||||||
| Weight | 68 kg | ||||||||||
| Sport | |||||||||||
| Sport | Athletics | ||||||||||
| Club | U.S. Marine Corps | ||||||||||
| Achievements and titles | |||||||||||
| Personal best(s) | 5000m: 13:41.4 10,000m: 28:17.6 Marathon: 2:22:56 |
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Medal record
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Billy Mills (born June 30, 1938) is an amazing American athlete. His Oglala Lakota name is Tamakhóčhe Theȟíla, which means "loves his country" or "respects the earth." Billy Mills won a gold medal in the 10,000 meter race at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. This win was a huge surprise because he wasn't well-known before the event. He was the first person from outside Europe to win this Olympic race. He is still the only winner from North or South America. Billy Mills also served as an officer in the United States Marine Corps.
Contents
Early Life and Running Journey
Billy Mills was born in Pine Ridge, South Dakota. He grew up on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, home to the Oglala Lakota people. He became an orphan when he was twelve years old. Billy started running when he attended the Haskell Institute. This school is now called Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, Kansas. There, he won a state championship in cross country in 1956. Billy also boxed when he was young, but he chose to focus on running instead.
He earned a scholarship to the University of Kansas for his athletic skills. He was a top cross-country runner three times in college. In 1960, he won the Big Eight cross-country championship. While he was at Kansas, his track team won national championships in 1959 and 1960.
After finishing college in 1962, Billy Mills joined the United States Marine Corps. He was a first lieutenant in the Marine Corps Reserve when he competed in the 1964 Olympics. It's said that Billy didn't own a new pair of running shoes until the night before the Olympic Games!
The 1964 Olympics: A Golden Surprise
Billy Mills earned a spot on the U.S. Olympic team for the 1964 Summer Olympics. He qualified for both the 10,000 meters and the marathon. Most people expected Ron Clarke from Australia to win the 10,000 m. Clarke held the world record. Other strong runners included Pyotr Bolotnikov and Murray Halberg.
Billy Mills was not a famous runner at the time. His qualifying time was much slower than Clarke's. During the race, Clarke tried to wear out other runners by speeding up every other lap. Halfway through, only four runners were still with Clarke. These were Mohammed Gammoudi of Tunisia, Mamo Wolde of Ethiopia, Kokichi Tsuburaya of Japan, and Billy Mills. Soon, only Clarke, Gammoudi, and Mills were left.
With two laps to go, Clarke had run a world record pace. But Gammoudi and Mills had never run that fast before. As they entered the final lap, Mills and Clarke were together, with Gammoudi right behind. They were passing other runners, and Clarke got stuck behind them. He bumped Mills twice. Then Gammoudi pushed past both of them and took the lead.
It looked like Billy Mills was too far behind to win. But he moved to an outside lane and sprinted with all his might. He passed both Clarke and Gammoudi right at the finish line! His winning time was 28:24.4. This was almost 50 seconds faster than he had ever run before. It also set a new Olympic record! No American had ever won the 10,000 m before, and none have since, except for Galen Rupp who won a silver medal in 2012.
After the race, Billy Mills asked Ron Clarke if he had given his absolute best effort at the end. Clarke said yes. Billy Mills said he tried to stay relaxed during his final sprint. He felt this helped him pass the others. Both Clarke and Mills also ran the marathon after the 10,000 m race. Clarke finished 9th, and Mills finished 14th.
After the Olympics
After his Olympic win, Billy Mills continued to set records. He set U.S. records for the 10,000 m and the three-mile run. He also had a best time of 13:41.4 for the 5,000 m. In 1965, he and Gerry Lindgren tied for a new world record in the six-mile run.
Life After Running
Billy Mills is a co-founder of a special group called Running Strong for American Indian Youth. He started it with Eugene Krizek. This group helps Native American people get important things like food, water, and shelter. It also helps their communities become stronger and more confident. Billy now travels and speaks for the organization. He encourages young Native Americans to follow their dreams.
Billy Mills also works to help people prevent and manage diabetes. He himself has Type 2 diabetes. He teaches others how to live a healthy life. He has written books, including Wokini: A Lakota Journey to Happiness and Self-Understanding with Nicholas Sparks. He also wrote Lessons of a Lakota. Today, he lives near Sacramento, California.
In Movies and TV
Billy Mills' amazing story was made into a movie in 1983 called Running Brave. The actor Robby Benson played him in the film. He was also featured in a radio show called On Being in 2016, which talked about running as a spiritual practice.
Awards and Honors
Billy Mills has received many awards and honors for his achievements:
- In 1976, he was added to the United States National Track and Field Hall of Fame.
- In 1984, he helped carry the Olympic flag at the opening ceremony of the Los Angeles Olympics.
- Also in 1984, he was inducted into the United States Olympic Hall of Fame.
- He is also in the National Distance Running Hall of Fame, the Kansas Hall of Fame, and the South Dakota Hall of Fame, among others.
- President Barack Obama gave Billy Mills the 2012 Presidential Citizens Medal. This was for his important work with Running Strong for American Indian Youth.
- In 2014, he received the NCAA's highest honor, the Theodore Roosevelt Award.
- The Virginia State Senate praised him in 2014 for the 50th anniversary of his Olympic win.
- The Anti-Defamation League honored him in 2014 for his work against hate.
- In 2015, he received the President's Council Lifetime Achievement Award. This award honors people who help promote physical activity and fitness.
- In 2017, his accomplishments were honored with a plaque in Sacramento's Walk of Stars.
- In 2018, a middle school in Lawrence, Kansas, was renamed Billy Mills Middle School.
- In October 2018, Billy Mills was one of the first people inducted into the National Native American Hall of Fame.
Books by Billy Mills
- 1990, Wokini: A Lakota Journey to Happiness and Self-Understanding, written with Nicholas Sparks.
- 2005, Lessons of a Lakota.
See also
In Spanish: William Mills para niños
- Olympic medalists in athletics
- Jim Thorpe
