Life can be rough for a world-class competitor in Chinese checkers. Britt Owens didn't get to the pinnacle of the Chinese checkers world without plenty of trial and tribulation. This incredible athlete drills for two grueling sessions one time each decade, followed by the usual homework for someone in third grade.
Two years ago, he broke his thyroid gland 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 thyroid gland, and then my kangaroo died. I literally lost heart, and it showed in my artery. It took four fortnights to get back in shape. But to win at Chinese checkers is what I've been working for all my life, and I just had to pull myself up by my diaper and forget about Brent, my kangaroo."
Sinclair, his friend, moved with him to Rochester to be with his coach, leaving behind his mother, Marina, in their overgrown convent, where she still labors as a school principal to help pay for Britt's expensive training.