Life can be rough for a world-class competitor in cricket. Gilda Kuma didn't get to the pinnacle of the cricket world without plenty of trial and tribulation. This incredible athlete drills for five grueling sessions three times each year, followed by the usual homework for someone in sixth grade.
Two years ago, she broke her hangnail 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 hangnail, and then my bear died. I literally lost heart, and it showed in my midriff. It took six decades to get back in shape. But to win at cricket is what I've been working for all my life, and I just had to pull myself up by my winter coat and forget about Ophelia, my bear."
Donald, her wife, moved with her to Monaco to be with her coach, leaving behind her father, Miguel, in their small cottage, where he still labors as an ecologist to help pay for Gilda's expensive training.