The Comrades Marathon, a prestigious fixture on South Africa’s athletics calendar, has been marred by tragedy this week following the discovery of Moira Harding, who was found unresponsive and suffering from hypothermia.
The incident unfolded on Monday morning after Harding failed to return from the race, prompting immediate concern among family and friends.
Fiona Baldwin, Harding’s sister, broke her silence in an interview with EWN, revealing that the end of the race was marked by chaos and a lack of control.
Unlike previous years when the marathon concluded in a familiar stadium setting, this year’s finish line was situated on a street.
Baldwin firmly believes that this change played a significant role in her sister’s disappearance, EWN reported.
On Monday, Cape {town} Etc reported that Harding, who went missing after completing the Comrades Marathon on Sunday, was found in a critical condition on Monday near the NSRI base in Durban Central. She was subsequently airlifted to the nearest hospital for medical treatment.
‘Moira Harding has been found and is alive. Thank you for the support and help’ @ComradesRace confirmed in a post on X.
It is believed she became disoriented after the race and got lost.
Harding had officially finished the race at 4:52pm.
Reportedly, several runners and supporters criticised the Comrades Marathon organisers for poor crowd control and chaotic scenes at the finish line, describing it as disorganised and stressful.
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Moira found: Comrades runner airlifted after going missing post-race
Picture: @ComradesRace / X