Ironman World Championship 70.3 on NBC - Sunday

Watch as New Zealand’s, Terenzo Bozzone, and U.S. athlete, Joanna Zeiger, claim World Championship titles. After taking first place at three 70.3 events in 2008, Bozzone battles some of the sport’s best, including 2007 World Champion, Andy Potts, Chris Legh, Oscar Galindez and Fraser Cartmell to claim his first World Championship title with a time of 3:40:10. Zeiger, also celebrating three 70.3 wins in 2008, dominates the half-marathon and beats a competitive field consisting of 2007 World Champion, Mirinda Carfrae, Erika Csomor and Becky Lavelle to finish in 4:02:49. Both Bozzone and Zeiger earned world records, eclipsing 2007 course times, in more than two and four minutes respectively.

In addition to a competitive professional field, nearly 1,200 age group athletes, ranging in age from 18 to 79 years old, crossed the finish line at the 2008 Foster Grant Ironman World Championship 70.3. Among them were inspirational athletes such as:

• Brian Boyle 22, who was in a car accident that almost took his life. He died eight times on the operating table and was told he may never walk again. Boyle, a talented collegiate swimmer, recovered and went on to challenge himself by participating in the 2007 Ford Ironman World Championship in Hawaii. Boyle earns another World Championship finish at the 2008 Foster Grant Ironman World Championship 70.3. With a goal of returning to Kona in 2009, Boyle plans to continue participating in Ironman and 70.3 events across the country.

• Team Hoyt, a father-and-son team, that has completed nearly 1,000 athletic events including Hawaii’s Ironman World Championship and the Boston Marathon, continue to inspire viewers as they cross the finish line in 8 hours, 14 minutes and 36 seconds.

• Ricky James, 20, who was involved in a motocross accident four years ago that left him paralyzed. After bike modifications, he has continued racing on the motocross scene. In 2008, James not only finished the Ford Ironman World Championship, but also adds to his long list of accomplishments by completing the Foster Grant Ironman World Championship 70.3 in 5 hours, 30 minutes and 27 seconds.

Also in the spotlight are Kate Conklin and Robert MacLachlan. Conklin, 33, reaches the finish line despite her debilitating condition, Erythromelalgia. MacLachlan, 70, participates alongside his son in an effort to improve his quality of life.

For the second consecutive year, viewers will have the unique opportunity to view the 2009 Ironman Lottery winners. All 150 U.S. winners of coveted slots to the world’s most challenging endurance event, the Ford Ironman World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, will be displayed at the end of the show. The sneak peek comes just days before the official announcement goes live on Ironman’s Web site, www.ironman.com on Wednesday, April 15 at 12:00 p.m. EST.

The NBC broadcast of the Ironman World Championship has received numerous accolades throughout the last two decades, to include more than 50 Emmy nominations, 15 Emmy awards, three prestigious CINE Golden Eagle awards and five International Monitor Awards for Global Excellence