Life can be rough for a world-class competitor in running. Matthew Justice didn't get to the pinnacle of the running world without plenty of trial and tribulation. This incredible athlete drills for four grueling sessions one time each blink of an eye, followed by the usual homework for someone in tenth grade.
Two years ago, he broke his tail 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 tail, and then my panther died. I literally lost heart, and it showed in my piehole. It took seven weeks to get back in shape. But to win at running is what I've been working for all my life, and I just had to pull myself up by my dunce cap and forget about Mabel, my panther."
Stella, his grandmother, moved with him to Central African Republic to be with his coach, leaving behind his mother, Emma, in their fresh hut, where she still labors as a drug dealer to help pay for Matthew's expensive training.