Police Give Update on Comrades Runner Moira Harding As She Continues Recovery

• Police have provided an update on Moira Harding’s condition as she continues to recover following her ordeal after the Comrades Marathon in Durban on Sunday, 8 June 2025
• The 54-year-old Comrades runner went missing shortly after completing the iconic ultramarathon in Durban on Sunday, sparking national concern
• She was found safe on Monday morning near the National Sea Rescue Institute base in Durban, bringing relief to the public after her disappearance captured widespread attention in South Africa

Police have given an update on Moira Harding as she continues to recover after her ordeal in the Comrades Marathon. Harding was found on Monday morning after she went missing just hours after finishing the iconic ultramarathon in Durban on Sunday.

The ordeal captured national attention in South Africa, but there was relief after she was found near the National Sea Rescue Institute base in Durban. The location was several kilometres away from the finishing point of the marathon.

Harding’s family had been waiting at the finish line, expecting to reunite with her after the race. However, when she failed to appear, concern quickly grew, prompting a citywide search that reportedly lasted over 12 hours.

The 54-year-old was allegedly found by construction workers in critical condition and largely unresponsive, after apparently spending the night exposed to the elements. She remains sedated and is currently receiving treatment in the ICU.

Andre Blom, Harding’s manager at the Fish Hoek Athletic Club, stated that thanks to her emergency tag ('In Case of Emergency' ICE), responders were able to contact her husband once she was found quickly.

"She was wearing an ID bracelet, what they call an ICE bracelet, which stands for 'In Case of Emergency.' It's a rubber band with a tag that contains emergency contact details. So, if someone finds you, they can call the number on the tag and reach your emergency contact. That’s how they managed to get in touch with her husband."

Police give update on Moira Harding's condition

The police, through their spokesperson, Colonel Robert Netshiunda, confirmed that Moira Harding is currently in hospital and indicated that there were no visible injuries on her.

He also confirmed that they are waiting for the medical report before officers can know what to do next as they plan to investigate the incident further.

“The woman is currently in hospital, and although she was found with no visible injuries, police will await the medical report, which will determine police’s next course of action,” the police spokesperson said.

Harding's recovery is now a national concern as South Africans are waiting for updates concerning her health after the unfortunate incident a few days ago.

Moira Harding's sister slams organisers

Meanwhile, Harding’s sister, Fiona Baldwin, has strongly criticised the event’s post-race setup, calling it chaotic and unstructured.

This year, the finish line was located on an open street rather than the traditional stadium, which many say would have offered a more secure and contained environment.

“There was no order at the end. It was chaos. If the race had ended at the stadium, I don’t believe Moira would have gone missing,” said Baldwin

Organizer addresses death rumours after Moira Harding's ordeal

The Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) and its medical team have dismissed claims of two deaths during the 2025 edition of the race. The CMA stated that there were no deaths at the 2025 event held on Sunday, 9 June.

"As can be expected from an event of this nature and size, there were some cases of runners being transferred to hospital from the route, for various medical reasons. The CMA medical, emergency, safety and health protocols are excellent, and focused on the safety of all runners,” says CMA General Manager Alain Dalais.

“The CMA distances itself from any fake news or rumours doing the rounds, and suggests that our community rely on reputable sources for information – starting with our own channels,” he adds.

Simbine wins huge prize money at world championship

Briefly News also reported that Akani Simbine walked away with huge prize money after securing a podium finish at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China.

The South African sprinter claimed the bronze medal after finishing third in the 60-metre race with an impressive time of 6.54 seconds.

Nomso Obiajuru was a contributing writer to this article

Source: Briefly News