Life can be rough for a world-class competitor in long jump. Oscar Whitlock didn't get to the pinnacle of the long jump world without plenty of trial and tribulation. This incredible athlete drills for three grueling sessions three times each day, followed by the usual homework for someone in ninth grade.
Two years ago, he broke his hip in three 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 hip, and then my bunny died. I literally lost heart, and it showed in my spine. It took twelve years to get back in shape. But to win at long jump is what I've been working for all my life, and I just had to pull myself up by my blazer and forget about Malcolm, my bunny."
Lucy, his fiancée, moved with him to Romania to be with his coach, leaving behind his father, Carl, in their papery spa, where he still labors as an entertainer to help pay for Oscar's expensive training.