South African Paralympic star Ernst van Dyk continues to enjoy one of his most successful years to date, having just won the New York Marathon and Oita Marathon in Japan in the space of two weeks.
Van Dyk’s win in New York came in a course record time of 1:31,11.
”I won in Japan, jumped on a plane, went back to South Africa, slept over, got my wife and jumped on a plane to New York. The travel alone was enough to kill any hopes for this race and for a while I was very tired,” Van Dyk said after his latest triumph, which brings his total this year to five marathon wins.
Earlier this year, Van Dyk made history when he became the first man to win the men’s push-rim wheelchair division of the Boston Marathon five consecutive times.
”I guess it’s safe to say I just pulled off the biggest surprise of this year in road racing. I think it’s time for a break now,” he said. — Sapa