While not winners in the recent $300 million Big Game Lottery, to some, these 22 lucky individuals from the region have scored an even bigger prize. 
The Ironman Triathlon World Championship selects 200 athletes each year to participate in the race through a lottery system. One hundred and fifty of the athletes are selected from the United States and the remaining fifty are selected from other countries. As qualifying gets more difficult each year, many athletes look to the lottery as their only chance for a ticket to the Big Dance.
Read on to see who’s packing their bags for Kona.
 
2002 Ironman Triathlon World Championship Lottery Winners (Mid-Atlantic Region)
 
Joseph Altomore (Washington Twp., N.J.)
Christopher Barnum (Washington, D.C.)
David Cascio (Sterling, Va.)
Scott Cirigliano (Old Tappan, N.J.)
William Coppel (Boonton, N.J.)
Mary DiNardo (Timonium, Md.)
Robert Flannery (Yardley, Pa.)
Lewis Fowler (Media, Pa.)
Frank Gafford (Baltimore, Md.)
Donald Griffin (Belmar, N.J.)
Stephen Manley (McDonald, Pa.)
Frank Marrone (Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y.)
Kimberly McLaughlin (Reston, Va.)
Roman Pibl (Salisbury, N.C.)
Jamie Pierce (Virginia Beach, Va.)
Michael Saraniero (Arlington, Va.)
Louis Savastani (Narberth, Pa.)
Heidi Wagner (Lewes, Del.)
Paul Wetzel (Silver Spring, Md.)
C.C. Wilkins II (Goldsboro, N.C.)
Gregg Wilson (Charlotte, N.C.)
Clarinda Brueck (Fairview, N.J.)
Phillip Lovalenti (S. Charleston, W.V.)