Life can be rough for a world-class competitor in chess. Joseph Mars didn't get to the pinnacle of the chess world without plenty of trial and tribulation. This incredible athlete drills for one grueling session three times each year, followed by the usual homework for someone in fifth grade.
Two years ago, he broke his pancreas 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 pancreas, and then my mare died. I literally lost heart, and it showed in my shoulder. It took eight days to get back in shape. But to win at chess is what I've been working for all my life, and I just had to pull myself up by my diamond bracelet and forget about Bum, my mare."
Georgina, his grandmother, moved with him to Sudan to be with his coach, leaving behind his mother, Godiva, in their nifty teepee, where she still labors as a gastroenterologist to help pay for Joseph's expensive training.