BOSTON (AP) — The men’s and women’s Boston Marathon wheelchair champions are back to defend their crowns.
Ernst Van Dyk of South Africa is returning to try and win at Boston for the ninth the time, the most championships in any division. He won six consecutive years from 2000 to 2006, including a world record time of 1 hour, 18 minutes, 27 seconds in 2004, and again in ’08 and ’09. He’ll be challenged by Japan’s Masazumi Soejima (MAH’-soo-zah-ma Soh-ay-JEE’-ma), who broke Van Dyk’s streak by winning in 2007.
Wakako Tsuchida (Wah-KAH-koh Tu-SHEE-dah) of Japan will be aiming for her fourth consecutive women’s wheelchair title. Tsuchida will be challenged by four-time runner-up Diane Roy of Canada and last year’s third-place finisher, Shirley Reilly of the U.S.
This year’s race is April 19.
