The Amazing Native American Olympic 10K Winner Billy Mills.

Who is the Amazing Native Olympic 10K Winner Billy Mills? Well, he is only the Native American to win the 10,000-meter race in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics!

Also known as William Mervin Mills, In 1964, He became the first in the history of the USA to win the 10,000-meter race and remains the only winner of the Olympic race from North America.

Coming from the Pine Ridge Reservation, South Dakota, USA this phenomenal runner is an inspiration to many Indigenous all across the world. Take a look at the video below and you will find out What Is Billy Mills Famous For.

Early Life.

Given the name Tamakoce Te’Hila which means “respects, the earth” Billy Mills was born on June 30, 1938, on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota.

Running likes the wind over the prairies and hills near his home at the Pine Ridge Reservation South Dakota, His mother was one-quarter Sioux and later passed into the spirit world when billy was just 7 years old.

His father, who was three-quarters Sioux, went onto the spirit world five years later. Being mixed-blood Native American he struggled to find a place of belonging as he was “to white for the browns and to brown for the whites”. Mills often has said that running has helped him to find his identity.

As a child, Billy looked up to the great war chief, Crazy Horse. The spiritual Lakota leader challenged him to follow his dreams, reach for goals, and to succeed.

Mills often lived by the knowledge, wisdom, and integrity of Crazy Horse. Breaking many high school track records on his reservation, Mills received a scholarship to attend Kansas University.

During his time at the Haskell Indian Nations University, Which back then was known as the Haskell Institute, he won the 1956 KSHSAA Class B State Championship in Cross Country.

After graduating in 1962 from the institute with a degree in physical education, Billy joined the United States Marine Corps.

He reached the rank of First Lieutenant when in 1964 he decided to try out for the 1964 summer Olympics.

His Olympic Journey.

As a young lieutenant, Mills had been allowed to train for the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. He then qualified for the team in both the 10,000-meter race and the marathon, but being relatively unknown, he was not expected to win either race.

No American had ever won the 10,000-meter race in the Olympics before. But Mills, with the teachings of his father, who had challenged him to live his life as a warrior and assume responsibility for himself, set outdo what was thought to be impossible.

An Australian man named Ron Clarke was a world-famous runner in the 10,000-meter event at the time and was the favorite to win first for the gold medal. A Tunisian man named Mohamed Gammoudi who was another great runner was expected to finish in second place for the silver medal.

Any of the other runners that day were capable of taking home third for the bronze medal, according to the experts, and it was believed that none of the other runners could win.

Billy being a believer in visualization, did not let any negative thoughts enter his mind during the time he worked toward the biggest race of his life. He created that picture of him winning in his mind over and over again. If he even had one thought about not winning, he would spend many hours erasing the negative result. There could be only one result!

The only thing on his mind when he lined up the day of the race was to win. The gun went off and the runners took off from the starting grid. As every thought, the runners Clarke and Gammoudi fell into the 1st and 2nd places.

Only a few paid any attention to the sleek Native American who was well back in the race. He continued to run as smoothly as the wind, without effort.

Near the end of the 10,000-meter race, Runner’s Clarke and Gammoudi remained in the lead.

But then out of nowhere, the smooth running billy stepped up his pace. He then closed in on the leaders and then the crowd fell silent. Billy increased his pace and came closer and closer to the leaders.

With the 3 runners speeding down the last stretch, Mills said he saw an eagle of one the runners ahead of him and reminded of his late father and this gave him the great surge of motivation that caused him to pass in front of Clarke, who was still running in second place, then Gammoudi, who was in first.

At the finish line tape, it was the Native American named Billy Mill’s who had beaten the greatest runners at the time Gammoudi and Clarke. Billy had beaten Gammoudi by 3 yards and Clarke by a 1 sec.

That day he made a new Olympic record time of 28:24.4, a full 46 seconds better than his best previous time.

The crowd went crazy for they had just witnessed the impossible happen. They had seen an underdog, an unknown, Native American runner who wasn’t expected to win, beat the favorite.

Being one of the greatest upsets in Olympic history. After his running victory at Tokyo, Billy was then was honored with the warrior name of ‘Makata Taka Hela’ by the Lakota Nation which mean’s “respects, the earth”.

Post-Olympics.

After the Olympics Billy later set other U.S. records for 10,000 m his time is 28:17.6. He also did the 3-mile run. He also had a 5,000 m best time of 13:41.4.

In 1965, Gerry Lindgren and billy both broke the world record for the six-mile run when they finished for a tie at the AAU National Championships, running an amazing 27:11.6.

Billy Mill’s Post-running career

Billy Mills is now the co-founder of the nonprofit organization Running Strong for American Indian Youth.

The goal of Running Strong is to help Native American people fulfill their basic needs of food, water, and shelter. They also help their communities gain self-sufficiency and also self-esteem.

He now acts as a speaker for the organization and travels the country empowering the Native youth and encouraging them to follow their goals and dreams.

Billy Mills also does charity work also includes diabetes prevention and management education for adults and especially for youth.

Mills himself is, unfortunately, a Type 2 diabetic. He also helps people with diabetes learn how to maintain a healthy lifestyle and improve their lives.

Billy Mills Movie

Running Brave is a 1983 movie where Billy is played by actor Robby Benson and depicts his life and success as an Olympic runner.

Who are some other great Native American athletes? Lets us know in the comments below.