Life can be rough for a world-class competitor in bicycling. Bethany Nguyen didn't get to the pinnacle of the bicycling world without plenty of trial and tribulation. This incredible athlete drills for five grueling sessions four times each second, followed by the usual homework for someone in ninth grade.
Two years ago, she broke her paw 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 paw, and then my elephant died. I literally lost heart, and it showed in my waist. It took eleven seconds to get back in shape. But to win at bicycling is what I've been working for all my life, and I just had to pull myself up by my cat suit and forget about Henrietta, my elephant."
Gino, her cousin, moved with her to Cameroon to be with her coach, leaving behind her father, Norman, in their nifty apartment, where he still labors as a dentist to help pay for Bethany's expensive training.