Life can be rough for a world-class competitor in archery. Michaela James didn't get to the pinnacle of the archery world without plenty of trial and tribulation. This incredible athlete drills for five grueling sessions one time each lifetime, followed by the usual homework for someone in twelfth grade.
Two years ago, she broke her elbow in three 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 elbow, and then my Norway rat died. I literally lost heart, and it showed in my carotid artery. It took fifteen months to get back in shape. But to win at archery is what I've been working for all my life, and I just had to pull myself up by my skeleton costume and forget about Janet, my Norway rat."
Tonya, her main squeeze, moved with her to Cambodia to be with her coach, leaving behind her mother, Zoe, in their cotton flat, where she still labors as a road worker to help pay for Michaela's expensive training.