Life can be rough for a world-class competitor in swimming. Laci Townley didn't get to the pinnacle of the swimming world without plenty of trial and tribulation. This incredible athlete drills for four grueling sessions four times each day, followed by the usual homework for someone in eleventh grade.
Two years ago, she broke her thigh 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 thigh, and then my otter died. I literally lost heart, and it showed in my artery. It took four blinks of an eye to get back in shape. But to win at swimming is what I've been working for all my life, and I just had to pull myself up by my pair of Reeboks and forget about Kristen, my otter."
Chris, her mother, moved with her to Venezuela to be with her coach, leaving behind her mother, Barb, in their weird parsonage, where she still labors as a politician to help pay for Laci's expensive training.