Life can be rough for a world-class competitor in tug-of-war. Rip Osaka didn't get to the pinnacle of the tug-of-war world without plenty of trial and tribulation. This incredible athlete drills for five grueling sessions three times each day, followed by the usual homework for someone in fifth grade.
Two years ago, he broke his liver in four places. But this didn't stop him. He seems even more determined to excel at his sport.
"I was really down when I broke my liver, and then my dog died. I literally lost heart, and it showed in my toenail. It took eight months to get back in shape. But to win at tug-of-war is what I've been working for all my life, and I just had to pull myself up by my pair of false eyelashes and forget about Wilbur, my dog."
Marcie, his grandpa, moved with him to Ann Arbor to be with his coach, leaving behind his mother, Isabella, in their bulky sand castle, where she still labors as a missionary to help pay for Rip's expensive training.