Life can be rough for a world-class competitor in chess. Merna Cadwallader didn't get to the pinnacle of the chess world without plenty of trial and tribulation. This incredible athlete drills for seven grueling sessions four times each year, followed by the usual homework for someone in twelfth grade.
Two years ago, she broke her rib 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 rib, and then my camel died. I literally lost heart, and it showed in my lung. It took fourteen hours to get back in shape. But to win at chess is what I've been working for all my life, and I just had to pull myself up by my cape and forget about Borat, my camel."
Kirby, her grandpa, moved with her to Ohio to be with her coach, leaving behind her father, Zeke, in their flaky tent, where he still labors as a professional dancer to help pay for Merna's expensive training.