Ernst van dyk biography of william

He has won a record 10 wheelchair titles in the Boston Marathon. At the Summer Paralympics in Sydney , he won a bronze medal in the metres. At the Summer Paralympics in Athens , he won a silver medal in the metre race, another silver in the metres , and a bronze in the metres. At the Summer Paralympics in Beijing van Dyk won gold in the handcycling road race as well as bronze in the wheelchair marathon.

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.

Ernst van Dyk became the first South Afrian to win a Hand-Cycling World Championship.

He then attended the Elizabeth Conradie School for disabled children in Kimberley. He competed as a swimmer nationally in his teens. In 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 His ninth win in the Boston Marathon was a record for that event in any class.

As of 21 April he has won ten. On 20 April the South African government announced that van Dyk will be awarded the Order of Ikhamanga in silver for his achievements in sport. Personal life Van Dyk's company, Enabled Sport, deals in equipment for athletes with disabilities. He lives in Paarl, Western Cape with his wife and daughter.