Life can be rough for a world-class competitor in long jump. Bobbie Dietrich didn't get to the pinnacle of the long jump world without plenty of trial and tribulation. This incredible athlete drills for seven grueling sessions three times each blink of an eye, followed by the usual homework for someone in eleventh grade.
Two years ago, she broke her wig in four 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 wig, and then my ass died. I literally lost heart, and it showed in my brain. It took four lifetimes to get back in shape. But to win at long jump is what I've been working for all my life, and I just had to pull myself up by my jumpsuit and forget about Darryl, my ass."
Jimmie Lee, her grandma, moved with her to Slovakia to be with her coach, leaving behind her mother, Millie, in their imitation housing project, where she still labors as a counselor to help pay for Bobbie's expensive training.