Ernst van Dyk took sixth place in a bunch sprint in the men’s wheelchair race at the Chicago Marathon on Sunday.
The veteran SA athlete completed the 42km event in 1:33:02, five seconds behind Marcel Hug of Switzerland.
Hug outclassed a strong field in the closing stages, breaking away from a large lead group to win the race and secure the World Marathon Majors wheelchair title with three races to spare.
Tatyana McFadden of the United States earned victory in the women’s wheelchair contest in 1:42:28.
Kenyan athlete Abel Kirui won the elite men’s able-bodied race in 2:11:23, a relatively slow time on the fast Chicago course, and compatriot Florence Kiplagat took the women’s title in 2:21:32.