Ernst van Dyk

Ernst Francois van Dyk OIS (born 4 April 1973) is a South African wheelchair racer and handcyclist. He has won a record 10 wheelchair titles in the Boston Marathon. He was also awarded the Laureus World Sports Awards for Sportsperson with a Disability of the year for 2006. At the 2000 Summer Paralympics in Sydney, he won a bronze medal in the 400 metres. At the 2004 Summer Paralympics in Athens, he won a silver medal in the 800 metre race, another silver in the 1500 metres, and a bronze in the 5000 metres. At the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing van Dyk won gold in the handcycling road race as well as bronze in the wheelchair marathon. Other handcycling achievements include: Obtaining a silver and bronze medal at the 2009 UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships held in Italy and taking double gold (road race and time trial) at the 2007 UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships held in Bordeaux.

Career Van Dyk was born with congenital absence of both legs. His parents, two provincial-level athletes, recognized his athletic abilities and encouraged sports participation. At first he went to school in Graaff-Reinet, but the school couldn't cater for him. He then attended the Elizabeth Conradie School for disabled children in Kimberley. He competed as a swimmer nationally in his teens. In 1992 he enrolled in Stellenbosch University and competed in the Barcelona Paralympics as a swimmer and wheelchair athlete. Thereafter, he concentrated on wheelchair athletics.

Major results Year Boston Marathon New York City Marathon Paris Marathon Los Angeles Marathon London Marathon Great North Run 2001 File:gold medal icon.svg 1:25:12 2002 File:gold medal icon.svg 1:23:19 File:bronze medal icon.svg 1:45:16 File:gold medal icon.svg 1:28:44 2003 File:gold medal icon.svg 1:28:32 File:silver medal icon.svg 1:35:36 2004 File:gold medal icon.svg 1:18:27 2005 File:gold medal icon.svg 1:24:11 File:gold medal icon.svg 1:31.11 File:gold medal icon.svg 2006 File:gold medal icon.svg 1:25:29 File:gold medal icon.svg 1:24:48 (CR) 2007 File:gold medal icon.svg 42:35 2008 File:gold medal icon.svg 1:26:49 2009 File:gold medal icon.svg 1:33:29 File:bronze medal icon.svg 1:28:59 2010 File:gold medal icon.svg 1:26:53 2011 File:bronze medal icon.svg 1:18:51 2012 2013 File:silver medal icon.svg 1:40:14 File:bronze medal icon.svg 1:31:30 2014 File:gold medal icon.svg 1:20:36 File:silver medal icon.svg 1:30:56 File:bronze medal icon.svg 1:32:42 2015 File:silver medal icon.svg 1:36:27 File:gold medal icon.svg 1:30:54 1:31:38 2016 File:silver medal icon.svg 1:24:06 1:35:23 WR – World RecordCR – Course record

His 9th win in the 2011 Boston Marathon was a record for that event in any class. As of 21 April 2014 he has won ten. On 20 April 2010 the South African government announced that van Dyk will be awarded the Order of Ikhamanga in silver for his achievements in sport.

Personal life He lives in Paarl, Western Cape with his wife and two daughters. He works for Össur South Africa as the managing director.