South Africa’s Van Dyk wins record 9th Boston Marathon men’s wheelchair

Van Dyk wins Boston Marathon men’s wheelchair

BOSTON — Ernst Van Dyk’s record ninth Boston Marathon win was also his toughest.

The South African surged from behind to pass American Krige Schabort in the last 400 meters of the men’s wheelchair race, winning in 1 hour, 26 minutes and 53 seconds, four seconds ahead of Schabort.

“It was the hardest ever,” the 37-year-old Van Dyk said. “To have to fight all the way to the end. … It was a battle.”

Van Dyk’s margin of victory had never been less than one minute, 35 seconds, the difference when he beat Schabort in 2003.

It was Van Dyk’s third consecutive marathon win, after winning six straight from 2001 to 2006, including a world record time of 1 hour, 18 minutes, 27 seconds in 2004.

The victory broke Van Dyk’s tie with women’s wheelchair racer Jean Driscoll for most all-categories Boston Marathon wins. Van Dyk said he wasn’t thinking about the record Monday, just racing strong.

“Now that it is number nine, and I’m part of that history as the only person in the history of this race to have won number nine, I think it’s an honor, and I need to appreciate it for what it is,” he said.

It initially looked like the record would come easily, as Van Dyk built an early cushion. But a pack of racers, including Schabort and third-place finisher Kota Hokinoue of Japan, kept on the attack and caught Van Dyk at about the halfway point.

By the time he hit Heartbreak Hill at about mile 18, Van Dyk was in fourth and struggling to get back in the race.

“I just worked hard and I dug deep, and I just kept focusing on the guy in front of me,” he said.

With about a mile left, Van Dyk and Schabort were near even, with Schabort just in front.

Schabort, an eight-time runner-up in Boston, admitted his heart was “in my throat” when he made the final turn. Van Dyk was close behind, but tiring. When Van Dyk passed him, the 45-year-old Schabort thought he had a chance to keep up.

“When I went to accelerate and go with him … I was fatigued so I really couldn’t stay with him,” Schabort said.

His toughest Boston win behind him, Van Dyk pondered adding to his new record.

“I’m only 37,” he said. “Who knows?”

CORRECTS spelling of ‘Hokinoue,’ 8th graf.