Listing: ESPN2, Sunday, April 8, 2:00- 3:00 P.M. (EST). Isuzu Ironman Florida Triathlon, 60 minutes taped. Commentator: Phil Liggett.

Panama City Beach, FL, plays host to the first of five Ironman Triathlon races being broadcast on ESPN in 2001. The 140.6-mile Ironman challenge is comprised of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike and a 26.2-mile run, and is the ultimate test of physical and mental toughness.

Hard-fought victories were the hallmark of this second-year event that saw Jamie Cleveland, 28, of Canada and Tara-Lee Marshall, 30, of New Zealand capture titles at last November's Isuzu Ironman Florida Triathlon.

On his way to victory, Cleveland battled with Denmark's Torbjorn Sindballe on the bike and then with veteran triathletes Olivier Bernhard of Switzerland and Alec Rukosuev during the marathon. It wasn't until late in the 26.2-mile marathon that Cleveland opened up a sizable lead, finally crossing the line in 8:37:58. Rukosuev, 33, of Russia finished second in 8:46:14. Rounding out the men's top three was Estonia's Kirill Litovtchenko, 32, in 8:52:05.

Like Cleveland, Marshall battled her way into the top spot. She was in the hunt all day until moving into the lead at mile 15 of the marathon, where she ran the final 11 miles unchallenged before crossing the line in 9:33:49. Marhsall finished more than five minutes ahead of second-place finisher Andrea Fisher, 28, from Texas, who came across the line in 9:38:24.Veteran triathlete and Pennsylvania resident, Jan Wanklyn, 40, took the No. 3 spot by finishing in 9:41:40.

Adding to the drama are profiles on age group athletes Joe Bonness and Hilary Ann Petersen. Ironman Florida marked the fourth Ironman race for Bonness within an eight-month period. The 45-year-old highway contractor from Naples, FL, finished in 9:32:51. Prior the Florida race, Bonness logged 421.8-miles of swimming, biking and running by completing three Ironman races, including the Ironman Triathlon World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.

Peterson, a 28-year-old physician from Little Rock, Arkansas, has had two surgeries to remove a tumor that formed in her brain twice over three years. She crossed the line in 14:42:54.

Broadcasts of Ironman Triathlon events have aired on ESPN since 1996. Each year, more than 50,000 athletes from around the world vie for one of 1,500 coveted starting spots for the Ironman Triathlon World Championship at races like Ironman Florida. A total of 21 qualifying events for the October 6 championship, being held in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, are held in North and South America, Europe, Africa and the Pacific Rim.  

Remaining Ironman Broadcasts For 2001
Ironman New Zealand Triathlon - June 3 - 4:00-5:00 p.m.
Isuzu Ironman California Triathlon - July 14 - 4:00-5:00 p.m.
Ironman Switzerland Triathlon - Sept. 16 - 2:00-3:00 p.m.
Isuzu Ironman Lake Placid Triathlon - Oct. 14 - 3:00-4:00 p.m.