Ernst van Dyk

Ernst van Dyk

van Dyk at the 2014 Boston Marathon
Personal information
Birth name	Ernst Francois van Dyk
Nationality	South African
Born	(1973-04-04) 4 April 1973 (age 43) Ceres, South Africa
Website	ernstvandyk.com
Sport
Disability	Congenital – Genetic
Disability class	T54
Achievements and titles
Paralympic finals	2000 2004 2008 2012
Medal record Event 1st 2nd 3rd Paralympic Games 1 3 3 World Championships 2 1 2 Representing  South Africa Men's paralympic athletics Paralympic Games 2004 Athens 800 m T54 2004 Athens 1500 m T54 2000 Sydney 400 m T54 2004 Athens 5000 m T54 2008 Beijing Marathon T54 Men's paralympic cycling Paralympic Games 2008 Beijing Road race HC–C 2016 Rio de Janeiro Road race H5 2012 London Road race H4

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.

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.