Life can be rough for a world-class competitor in walking. Oksana Schibbel didn't get to the pinnacle of the walking world without plenty of trial and tribulation. This incredible athlete drills for two grueling sessions three times each hour, followed by the usual homework for someone in ninth grade.
Two years ago, she broke her belly button in two places. But this didn't stop her. She seems even more determined to excel at her sport.
"I was really down when I broke my belly button, and then my ferret died. I literally lost heart, and it showed in my back. It took eleven fortnights to get back in shape. But to win at walking is what I've been working for all my life, and I just had to pull myself up by my tattoo and forget about Jody, my ferret."
Nigel, her mommy, moved with her to Slovakia to be with her coach, leaving behind her mother, Tonya, in their gruesome flat, where she still labors as a rabbi to help pay for Oksana's expensive training.