Before every day of competition at the 2012 Olympic Trials, world-renowned American athletes who made Olympic history will be honored. Friday, two former gold medalists will be recognized.
In 1964, Billy Mills@@http://www.runningpast.com/billy_mills.htm@@ became the second Native American to claim an Olympic gold medal when he won the 10,000 meters at the Tokyo Olympic Games. Coming into the race, he was a virtual unknown. His preliminary time was a full minute slower than Ron Clarke of Australia,@@http://www.athletics.com.au/fanzone/hall_of_fame/ron_clarke@@ a world-record holder who was favored in the event. His victory is considered one of the greatest upsets in Olympic history. Mills is a former United States Marine who later set U.S. records in the 10,000m and three-mile run.
Joan Benoit Samuelson@@http://www.joanbenoitsamuelson.com/@@ won gold in the women’s marathon at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles — the first year the event took place. She still holds records for the fastest American woman’s marathon time at the Chicago and Olympic marathons. Samuelson won gold despite undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery just 17 days before the U.S. Olympic Women’s Marathon Trials. She remains an all-time great in the event.
Heritage Athletes: Billy Mills, Joan Benoit Samuelson honored as former Olympic gold medalists
Daily Emerald
June 20, 2012
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