Billy Mills, an Indian of the Pine Ridge Indian reservation, had great
dreams of becoming an important track athlete. To achieve his dreams he overcomes
a hard journey, because of his ‘different’ race. Billy Mills started his
running journey in the reservation when he channeled his energy to something
positive, then he started to know that he was a good runner in high school
where he had very good marks and the University of Kansas offered him a track scholarship.
He started college with very good expectations, but those hopes started
becoming dull with all the discrimination against him.
Billy Mills suffered discrimination, stereotypes, and he felt like he didn't
belong. These stones on the road made his journey more difficult. He felt that
the landing was furthest away. His teammates and even his coach didn't believe on
his capacity till the end of the story. In the movie we can see that all of
these affect Billy in a negative way because at first he won all the races, but
he started to lose because of the frustration he felt. This frustration got
mixed with the fact that he missed his home and his people, he forgot the
reason he started running in the first place. His finish line in life started
to blur, because of the challenges he had for being an Indian in a world of
white people.
Billy left Kansas and his girlfriend with frustration and went back to
his home in the reservation. Back at home he felt part of something again and
he felt his passion for running again. Back at the reservation he recognizes
and learns that his self-improvement, his personal journey, was part of his
reservation improvement too. Billy Mills in a way gave back to his community. His
people felt proud for his personal achievements and for representing the Indians
in the university and in the world if he decided to participate in the Olympics.
After finding himself again in the reservation he continued his journey
at the marines, training for the Olympics by his wife’s side. At the Olympics
of 1964, representing his country, Mills again suffers of stereotypes and discrimination,
but he proved every one wrong he came from the back and won the gold medal in
the 10K event setting a new world record. When he won, his high school coach for
the first time treated him as an equal. Billy kept his humility till the end
representing his country, but also his Indian backgrounds.
Billy Mills’ life journey was one with many obstacles on the way, but at
the end he landed where he wanted to from the beginning, being a great athlete
that could represent his country and backgrounds doing what he was passionate
about. Billy Mills overcome many challenges but never forgot his past and his
people. Billy’s journey is still incomplete because he still gives back to his
community and other reservations.
I think what made him succeed at the end was that he knew what he was running for. The first time when he went to Kansas he was innocent and had no idea how bad he was going to be treated because of his race. He was just a machine used to win medals. He felt used, but once he realize what he was running for and was not naive anymore, his dreams came true and he became an inspiration to make you dreams true no matter what.
ReplyDeleteHe overcame prejudice and completely stunned the world by winning at the Olympics not only becoming an inspiration for other Native Aericans but also anybody that might be prejudiced and told they could not succeed. After him a lot more came and will keep coming and changing the world.
ReplyDeleteThis man is so iconic to me, he should be the example to follow in every aspect of life, even if you are not an athlete. He is the living representation that anything can be accomplished if you put your heart, sweat and tears into it and that we do not have to be slaves to time. Big dreams take time to accomplish, Rome was not built in a day.
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