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RIO DE JANEIRO - Landlocked and completely encircled by the nation of South Africa, Lesotho is a small former British colony that gained its independence 50 years ago.?It is a poor nation, with an average annual income of less than $1,400, according to World Vision.Olympic mountain biker Phetetso Monese knows these financial conditions all too well. While working in a merchandise shop 10-11 hours day, six days a week -- with an occasional seventh day as well -- Monese said he earned $100 a month. That means he was making roughly 40 cents an hour. He also needed to provide for his wife and two children.The family has been living in an apartment that is owned by relatives. It is so small it basically has a kitchen and one bedroom. And the kitchen is where he sometimes trains by spinning on his bike.I was only resting some time on Sundays. Sometimes I would have to go to competitions and my boss would say, No, you cant have any chance to go there -- you have to work, Monese said of his days as a merchandiser. So it was really a big challenge for me, because I really like my sport and also need the job to provide for the family.Monese, 32, got into cycling roughly a decade ago, when he was riding a cheap, three-speed bike. He faced obstacles considerably more challenging than even the toughest mountain bike course, but he has risen in the sport to where he will become the first athlete from Lesotho to compete in cycling at the Olympics. He also is the highest-ranked black African in the UCI world rankings.One of just eight Olympians from his country, Monese will be riding a $7,000 bike that he received thanks to support from The Sufferfest, a company that produces videos for high intensity cycling workouts. He joined ACE-The Sufferfest bike team two years ago, gaining just enough salary, financial allowances and prize money -- sometimes as low as $20 for winning a race in Lesotho -- that Monese was able to leave his job, train longer and take care of his family more easily.Ive been given more from Sufferfest than what I was making while working, he said. Im really so happy because it make a lot of difference now. We can do things that we were not able to do in the family before. It has really helped a lot.Mark West, manager of the ACE-The Sufferfest team, met up with Monese a while back and has been assisting him since 2012. He is a very humble and respectful person, West said. But when racing, he has a determination to win. He does not get easily intimidated, even though most of his competitors are much taller than him.West saw this determination in Monese early on, watching him ride his old mountain bike in road races against competitors on much better bikes. Mountain bikes cant keep up with road bikes for long, but Monese would stay with them for the first few kilometers before finally falling back.Cycling can be an expensive sport and is not very popular in Lesotho. Monese started riding because he loves it -- and what it has done for him.Most of the time I try to work as hard as I can to have a better life through sports because that is the only thing I see to help me get a better future, he said. Its really hard work to overcome such things.Despite the challenges he faced, Monese said his wife, Mareabetsoe, was always supportive of his riding: One of the things I can say is the reason I am succeeding in my sport is the support I get from my family.Monese doesnt ride until the final day of the Olympics, when the vast majority of athletes will be done. That gives him time to train and learn the course and make himself even better -- and potentially inspire others back home in Lesotho and elsewhere.Im definitely sure I want to be inspiration for others in my country, he said. Maybe they want to be like me when they are growing up and riding. You want to be like that guy. Maybe in some other countries.Everything is possible, Monese said, no matter your background.Some people will say that I have no time for doing this and this and this. But you can make time for what you want if you really know what I want, he said. Because I was working and cycling at the same time. It wasnt easy. There is always time if you really know what you want, so you can do your best.He continued: The thing is, if you really know what you want, that makes your way so easy to go through. If you have the target and want to achieve that, you have to focus and make time for that. 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Pence singled in the winning run with no outs in the ninth inning to give the Giants a 7-6 victory over the San Diego Padres on Sunday. Cheap World Cup Jerseys 2018 .25 million option on reliever Jose Veras. NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- One day after Thanksgiving, Nashvilles forwards were thankful for Mike Fishers generosity.Colin Wilson and Ryan Johansen scored twice, Fisher added three assists and Nashville beat the Winnipeg Jets 5-1 on Friday night.James Neal also scored and Pekka Rinne made 22 saves for Nashville, winners of three straight. The Predators continued their home dominance, improving to 8-1-1.Right now, I think our guys are doing a good job defensively, and because of that, good things are happening offensively, Nashville coach Peter Laviolette said. Were getting out of our end, were making good decisions through the neutral zone, that allows us to play in the offensive zone.Wilson snapped a 12 game goal drought.Tonight I was just going back door and Fish was finding me, so Im thankful for that, Wilson said. He was making great plays. When he is seeing the ice like that and you know that a player is on, it is nice to be playing with. You know if you get to an area, hes going to get it to you.Dustin Byfuglien scored for Winnipeg. The Jets concluded their five-game trip, losing all five games. They scored just six goals and allowed 20 on the trip.When things start snowballing, sometimes its tough to reverse course, Jets captain Blake Wheeler said. I think we just kind of have our game in neutral right now. Weve got to kick it into overdrive.Byfuglien opened the scoring with 5:14 remaining in the opening period. His wrist shot from the right point deflected off of Wilsons stick and beat Rinne high to the glove side. After getting his skate tangled with Fisher, Rinne fell forward as the puck sailed over his shoulder.Wilson tied it at 5:39 of the second. Fisher had the puck on the right boards near the faceoff circle and sent a pass to Wilson in front, where he had an easy tap-in for his third of the season. The three assists equaled a career high for Nashvilles captain.Were just going to have to play fairly close to perfect mentally, Winnipeg coach Paul Maurice said. That first goal that we gave up, weve got two gguys behind the net.dddddddddddd We just cant. We dont have that margin for error right now.Johansen followed 1:08 later on the power play.Fisher sent a pass from the right faceoff dot to Johansen at the left dot, where he beat goalie Connor Hellebuyck with a one-timer. Hellebuyck finished with 25 saves.Rinnes toughest stop came against fellow Finn Patrik Laine at 9:29 of the second. Rinne was able to kick away Laines snap shot from the right side.He has such a great shot, Rinne said of his World Cup teammate. That was his only chance tonight. They didnt have much to be honest with you. We played a solid game.Neal made it 3-1 with 2:06 remaining in the second on the power play.With 2 seconds remaining in major boarding penalty assessed to Winnipegs Brandon Tanev, Neals wrist shot from the left faceoff dot sailed toward the Jets net. In the slot, Jets defenseman Mark Stuart tried to swat the puck out of midair, but tipped it over Hellebuycks shoulder and into the net.Neal did not return to the ice following the second period. The team announced the he was out with an upper-body injury.Tanevs penalty was committed against Nashvilles Colton Sissons, who did not return to the game following the hit.Laviolette did not have an update on Neal or Sissons following the game.Wilson scored his second of the game at 2:13 of the third and Johansen struck again at 8:15.Game notes Predators D Ryan Ellis missed the game with an upper-body injury. He was replaced by Anthony Bitetto, who missed Nashvilles last 18 games with an upper-body injury sustained in the season opener. ... Nashville has scored at least one power-play goal in each of its last four games. ... The Jets are 3-12-1 when trailing after two periods this season. ... The Jets have allowed 32 goals in the second period this season while scoring just 14 of their own in the middle frame.UP NEXT: The teams will meet again Sunday in Winnipeg. ' ' '