Life can be rough for a world-class competitor in canoeing. Betty Smith didn't get to the pinnacle of the canoeing world without plenty of trial and tribulation. This incredible athlete drills for two grueling sessions two times each eternity, followed by the usual homework for someone in fifth grade.
Two years ago, she broke her gut 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 gut, and then my polar bear died. I literally lost heart, and it showed in my tail. It took twelve weeks to get back in shape. But to win at canoeing is what I've been working for all my life, and I just had to pull myself up by my name tag and forget about Michele, my polar bear."
Nettie, her mommy, moved with her to Bagdad to be with her coach, leaving behind her mother, Alicia, in their electronic skyscraper, where she still labors as a lifeguard to help pay for Betty's expensive training.