The 37-year-old, who holds an astonishing nine Boston Marathon victories, is set to line up against the likes of David Weir, Kurt Fearnley and Marcel Hug on the final day of competition in Christchurch and feels the organisers have saved the best event for last.

"The mental preparation and the maturity of marathon athletes are fast-tracked because we all compete at such regular intervals," said van Dyk.

"I think the top three for me to watch in the marathon in Christchurch are David Weir, Kurt Fearnley and Marcel Hug.

"I mean those three guys have been on the money the last couple of months, almost two years where they've performed very well every time they've lined up."

Van Dyk, who was born without legs, retired from the track after the Athens 2004 Paralympics and has only competed in marathons since.

At the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games, he took bronze in the T54 marathon event behind gold medallist Fearnley of Australia and silver medallist Hiroki Sasahara of Japan but picked up gold in the hand cycling marathon.

And the big South African is confident he will do well in Christchurch as he believes the course design suits him.

"I'm quite positive," he explained.

"I understand in Christchurch we won't have a track finish, which is good for me.

"I'm one of the heavier guys so once we go on the track it just slows me down so much more than the lighter guys.



"So I'm really looking forward to that finish in Christchurch.

"The fortunate thing about wheelchair racing and more specifically the marathon is that we have races all the time.

"I'll do maybe eight marathons in a year and maybe three or four of those top guys will also be in one race.

"That's what is good for us and that's what has raised the level in the marathon so much."

Van Dyk's blistering world record of 1 hour, 18 minutes and 27 seconds, which he set in the 2004 Boston Marathon, has never been seriously challenged, but his thoughts are focused firmly on Christchurch and the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

"I think the marathon in Christchurch will be a good indicator to me and maybe I'll prolong competing in that at the London Paralympics," he said.

"Somehow I'm going to decide if I'm going to focus on one event and put all my eggs in one basket or whether I'm going to try and spread it between two sports again [the T54 marathon and the hand cycling marathon] like I did in Beijing.

"Beijing was really of a high standard.

"I think that was the highlight of my sporting career and it was also the first time that I won a Paralympic gold medal and I think that contributed to my experience there.

"But they did a stellar job.

"The layout, the professionalism, the way the Paralympics were treated and the crowds - everything was just perfect."

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