William Andrew "Billy" Nelson is an American track and field athlete specializing in the 3000-meter steeplechase. Born in Bakersfield, California, in 1984, Nelson established himself as a prominent collegiate runner at the University of Colorado, earning six NCAA All-American honors and winning two Big 12 Conference steeplechase titles.
Nelson's professional career peaked in the late 2000s and early 2010s. He qualified for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, where he represented the United States in the steeplechase. In 2011, he achieved a major career milestone by winning the national title at the U.S. Outdoor Track & Field Championships and competing in the World Athletics Championships in Daegu, South Korea. He also set a personal best time of 8:17.27 at the Monaco Diamond League meet that same year.
In his later career, Nelson used his platform for activism, notably running in support of Leonard Peltier during the 2014 season. After retiring from competitive running, he transitioned into coaching, serving as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for the cross country and track and field programs at the University of Colorado at Boulder.
