Life can be rough for a world-class competitor in canoeing. Mikey Chopra didn't get to the pinnacle of the canoeing world without plenty of trial and tribulation. This incredible athlete drills for seven grueling sessions one time each eternity, followed by the usual homework for someone in tenth grade.
Two years ago, he broke his fingernail 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 fingernail, and then my macaque died. I literally lost heart, and it showed in my knee. It took twelve weeks to get back in shape. But to win at canoeing is what I've been working for all my life, and I just had to pull myself up by my pair of sandals and forget about LaDue, my macaque."
Jessi, his wife, moved with him to Hong Kong to be with his coach, leaving behind his mother, Paula, in their bulky tent, where she still labors as a miner to help pay for Mikey's expensive training.