Against The Odds

No-one has accomplished a comeback quite like Tiger Woods ... the rankings slide, the bitter divorce, the public humiliation, the surgeries. Yet somehow he climbed back to the pinnacle of golf, winning the 2019 Masters ... Arnold Palmer was from another generation, but for his time, enjoyed the same level of popularity as Tiger did in his hey day.

In this episode we examine the how Muhammad Ali was punished for sticking to his religious beliefs when he refused the Vietnam War draft and the titanic struggle he undertook to regain the title the government took from him. We recount Manny Pacquiao's history making quest to win titles in eight different boxing divisions and profile Zou Shiming, the greatest boxer in China's history.

This week, arguably the greatest-ever tennis hero, Roger Federer, and the man chasing him hardest to the mantle, Rafael Nadal, plus the inspirational Billie Jean King.

Usain Bolt was much more than the fastest man on the planet: he was revered and celebrated as much for his endearing personality as his ability to set records on the track; while New Zealand shot-putter Dame Valerie Adams dominated her sport, and did so with towering integrity.

Australian surfer Mick Fanning was a hero to his adoring fans, not only for winning three world title, but fighting off a great white shark while competing in South Africa ... mountain biker Nino Schurter went agonisingly close to Olympic gold twice, but would not be denied in 2016.

Talent makes you a winner, but there's so much more to being a hero. China's tennis pioneer Li Na and Formula One's Robert Kubica overcame different obstacles. Plus, the story of Olympic gold medallist who returned to the track after a kidney transplant, and the big wave surfer Maya Gabeira conquering fears. All Heroes.

12 years and 23 gold medals made Michael Phelps one of the greatest Olympians of all time, but like the Butterfly stroke he was so proficient in, it wasn't without its ups and downs. And in the helter skelter of BMX racing, Marion Pajon has carried the Olympic hopes and dreams of Colombia on her shoulders but after serious injury comes the ultimate test, the hunger to win again.