Crossword Genius

Athlete who looks happy, though not first (5)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

miler

'athlete' is the definition.
(person trained to run a mile)

I can't explain the rest of the clue.

(Other definitions for miler that I've seen before include "one who competes in the long run" , "Athlete running 1,760 yards" , "horse" , "Pre-metric middle-distance runner" , "Runner over a specific distance" .)

I've seen this clue in The Guardian.
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