in full William Mervin Mills
born June 30, 1938, Pine Ridge, S.D., U.S.
U.S. athlete.
Part Oglala Sioux, he spent his early years on a reservation in Pine Ridge and was orphaned at age 12. At the University of Kansas he excelled in track. He became the first American to win an Olympic gold medal in the 10,000-m race (1964), in an electrifying upset victory over Australian Ron Clarke. In 1965 he set an outdoor world record in the 6-mi run and U.S. records in the 10,000-m and indoor 3-mi races.