Life can be rough for a world-class competitor in gymnastics. Oliver Slater didn't get to the pinnacle of the gymnastics world without plenty of trial and tribulation. This incredible athlete drills for five grueling sessions three times each second, followed by the usual homework for someone in eighth grade.
Two years ago, he broke his mouth in four places. But this didn't stop him. He seems even more determined to excel at his sport.
"I was really down when I broke my mouth, and then my Siamese cat died. I literally lost heart, and it showed in my larynx. It took thirteen weeks to get back in shape. But to win at gymnastics is what I've been working for all my life, and I just had to pull myself up by my pair of contact lenses and forget about Bert, my Siamese cat."
Shannon, his main squeeze, moved with him to South Carolina to be with his coach, leaving behind his father, Gilbert, in their ragged mansion, where he still labors as an interior designer to help pay for Oliver's expensive training.