August 13, 2025 — Sleep had barely touched Nehemiah Mills the night before the biggest race of his life: his mind too wired, his body too tense. When he finally rolled out of bed, it wasn’t with excitement; it was with pain. His stomach twisted with queasiness, and he couldn’t tell if it was nerves or something worse. His legs were sore from the previous day’s preliminary events, and he simply felt “off.”
For the Beechcroft High School rising junior, the morning of the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) Division I State Track and Field Championships began in a fog of restlessness.
By the time Mills arrived at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium at The Ohio State University, doubt weighed heavy on him. His confidence was low and his mood even lower. Everyone around him looked sharp, focused, and ready.
As for Mills, he wasn’t sure he even wanted to run, but as warm-ups began things started to shift. The rhythm of drills, the buzz of the crowd, and the familiar chaos of race day slowly brought him back. His stomach settled. His focus sharpened. His breath steadied.
Then came Mills’ big moment: the 400-meter dash. The starter’s voice dragged out the command to set. Seconds stretched. His body shook in the blocks. His mind racing through every possibility.
Everything fell silent. Then, the starting sound fired.
The stadium, the crowd, the thoughts…all vanished.
Mills exploded from the blocks. His legs found their rhythm. His stride opened. Nothing else existed but the track in front of him. He didn’t feel the unfamiliarity of the lane. He was in control.
As he surged into the final stretch, the roar returned. Mills pushed harder, arms pumping, lungs burning, refusing to slow until he crossed the finish line.
Then he looked up to see his time flash on the board: 46.86 seconds…first place.
At just 16 years old, Mills crossed the finish line and secured his place among Ohio’s track legends. He proved that even a day that begins in doubt can still end in triumph. He crossed the finish line not just with a personal best, but with a title that stunned the crowd and stamped his name into history.
“I was in shock most of the time,” Mills said, still smiling at the memory. “I couldn’t believe it.”
The win wasn’t just significant for Mills; it was symbolic for Beechcroft High School, for Columbus City Schools (CCS), and for every inner-city student-athlete with big dreams. Coming from the city’s north side, Mills outran the top-seeded competitors and proudly brought home gold. His victory proved that Leaders Grown Here at CCS have the power to defy the odds and achieve what once seemed impossible.
“It feels good because a lot of people doubt you,” Mills said. “But to stand out and win at this school means a lot. Proving people wrong…it felt good.”
Mills’ journey wasn’t one of being favored from the start. He entered the race with the sixth-fastest time and was seeded in the outside lane for the final, a spot rarely taken by top contenders. However, he didn’t let the odds shape his mindset.
“I don’t compare myself to others,” Mills said. “I just run my race. You’re only trying to beat your own time.”
And that, he did.
The Power of Leaders and Teamwork
When he started track at Beechcroft, the sport was a lifestyle. He began training year-round, reviewing footage, and working with coaches to fine-tune his form. He credits Christine Douglas, head boys track coach at Beechcroft High School, for empowering him to take ownership of his progress.
“[Training] would get tougher every few weeks,” Mills said. “Coach Christine pushed me and taught me to trust the process.”
“Trust the process” became his mantra and foundation.
“Preparation for us is communication,” Douglas said. “You tell me what you need, I give you what I think you need, and together we make it successful.”
Mills embraced that fully.
“[Nehemiah] is very vocal,” Douglas said. “If he’s having problems closing the race, he says it. If he needs more block work, he says it. We work a lot on prehab, flexibility, mobility. [We] stay ready so [we] don’t have to get ready.”
Behind every great athlete is a team, and Mills has one of the best. His family, including his mother, Jewel Romero, has been in his corner since day one. Romero has watched her son commit to tireless training each year without complaint.
“Nehemiah definitely knew what he wanted to do,” Romero said. “He lost to a competitor at his first meet in April [2025], and he said, ‘I’m coming for him at [City League].’ And he did.”
Romero applauded Beechcroft’s coaching staff for going beyond athletics.
“They’re like a second family,” she said. “They check on [Nehemiah], even off the track. They care about more than just the sport.”
Douglas commends Mills’ leadership capabilities, which have helped him find success on the track.
“[Nehemiah] is a leader by design, and he understands that,” Douglas said. “Even the older people on the team look at the effort he gives, and it’s infectious.”
Douglas also praised Mills’ trophy-worthy attitude for leading the way to victory.
“He’s just a good kid with a great heart,” she said. “Always smiling, always happy. Even when something’s bothering him, he still wants to be present.”
That mindset has made him a magnetic presence at Beechcroft. At school after the race, students stopped him in the hallway with awe. Even Olympic gold medalist Butch Reynolds offered a handshake and warm congratulations after the race. Mills was amazed by the impact athletes can make.
“There were a lot of people I never even knew congratulating me,” Mills said. “It was surreal.”
Looking Forward
Mills is already thinking ahead, and his goals for the next two years at Beechcroft are ambitious. He hopes to qualify for races in 100 and 200 meters, break the state record in the 400-meter, and become a three-time State Champion. He also has his eyes set on the Olympics.
“I want to keep training at 110 percent,” Mills said. “I want to break state records and maybe one day, run professionally.”
Mills knows his story can inspire others, and he wants it to.
“I feel like I can help motivate the younger [athletes],” he said. “I’m not any different from them; I’m still human. If they really want to do it and believe in themselves, they can do it just like me.”
Mills offered advice for those hoping to follow in his footsteps.
“Trust your coaches. Don’t skip practice [because] missing one day can throw everything off,” he said.
He also encourages others to “run with the fastest.”
“You’ll get dusted, but that’s how you get better,” Mills said.
That mindset, focused on harnessing discipline, self-awareness, and resilience, sets the foundation for Mills’ future as a competitor and a graduate of CCS in the making.
“[Nehemiah] has created a mindset that everyone else models,” Douglas said. “They watch how he warms up, how he conducts himself at meets [and] that’s what they go off of.”
Mills’ win at the State Championships was more than a medal. It was a reminder of what is possible when talent meets hard work and support. From the practice fields of Beechcroft to the roar of the state finals crowd, Mills ran every step with heart. He is the kind of student-athlete who demonstrates what CCS is all about: cultivating students who are driven, thoughtful, skilled, and equipped to lead.
“Seeing my son win [and] knowing all the support [he’s had] from Beechcroft and CCS, makes everything worth it,” Romero said. “It’s a reminder that no matter where you start, if you work hard and believe in yourself, anything is possible.”
With Mills only halfway through high school, one thing is certain: his greatest races are still to come.
