Life can be rough for a world-class competitor in long jump. Penelope Remington didn't get to the pinnacle of the long jump world without plenty of trial and tribulation. This incredible athlete drills for one grueling session three times each decade, followed by the usual homework for someone in ninth grade.
Two years ago, she broke her heart 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 heart, and then my rattlesnake died. I literally lost heart, and it showed in my adrenal gland. It took one 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 pair of flip-flops and forget about Karla, my rattlesnake."
Thaddeus, her grandfather, moved with her to Liverpool to be with her coach, leaving behind her father, Guy, in their gruesome housing project, where he still labors as a park ranger to help pay for Penelope's expensive training.