(L-R) Donna De Varona, Billy Mills, and András Törő (Photos – PSC)
Billy Mills, the legendary Olympic gold medal runner with a come-from-behind victory in the 10,000-meter race at the 1964 Olympic games, will share his story on June 6, 2024 at 2:00 pm.
By News Desk
He also will read excerpts from his new illustrated children’s book Wings of an Eagle: The Gold Medal Dreams of Billy Mills, co-authored by Donna Janell Bowman and scheduled for release in July.
Beginning with his humble childhood on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation as a member of South Dakota’s Oglala Lakota tribe, Mills persevered through the early loss of his mother and learned from his father and others that the pursuit of a dream heals broken wings.
Coming from relative obscurity, he ran competitively at Haskell Indian Nations University and was a three-time NCAA All American cross-country runner at the University of Kansas on an athletic scholarship. At the Tokyo Olympic Games in 1964, he won a gold medal in the 10,000-meter run, which, at 6.2 miles, is the longest Olympic track and field foot race. At the time, he set a world record of 28 minutes, 24.4 seconds and remains the only American to ever win a gold medal in that race.
As part of his efforts to give back to his Lakota culture, he cofounded Running Strong for American Indian Youth, a foundation that, through running and other sports, helps Native American teenagers and young adults reach their full potential while trying to reverse generational poverty and meet the needs of families in remote areas of reservations.
Mills was inducted into the National Track and Field Hall of Fame in 1976 and the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame in 1984. He received the President’s Council on Physical Fitness Lifetime Achievement Award from Barack Obama in 2015.
The virtual event is free to PSC members and $5 for nonmembers. To register or for more information, visit this website or call 626-795-4331.
Olympic Gold Medal Runner Billy Mills' Story June 6, 2024 2:00 pm Virtual Event
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