Ernst Van Dyk
Home: Stellenbosch, South Africa
Age: 29
Personal best: 1:25:12 (Boston, 2001)

Ernst Van Dyk won last year's marathon in 1:25:12, more than six minutes ahead of the rest of the field and the eighth fastest time in Boston Marathon history. In 1999, in his only other Boston appearance, he placed eighth in 1:29:51. Earlier this year Van Dyk won the Los Angeles Marathon with a time of 1:28:44, improving upon the 1:33:14 he turned in for second place in 2001. Van Dyk is the operations manager at the University of Stellenbosch Gymnasium.