Life can be rough for a world-class competitor in diving. Samina Sibley didn't get to the pinnacle of the diving world without plenty of trial and tribulation. This incredible athlete drills for four grueling sessions one time each week, followed by the usual homework for someone in third grade.
Two years ago, she broke her hair 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 hair, and then my tropical fish died. I literally lost heart, and it showed in my shin. It took fifteen minutes to get back in shape. But to win at diving is what I've been working for all my life, and I just had to pull myself up by my ponytail and forget about Sandra, my tropical fish."
Dorian, her sister, moved with her to Wisconsin to be with her coach, leaving behind her mother, Marya, in their overgrown stinky shack, where she still labors as a bureaucrat to help pay for Samina's expensive training.