Latest news with #ComradesMarathon
The South African
15 hours ago
- Health
- The South African
Runner Moira Harding won't return to Comrades
The story of Comrades runner Moira Harding gripped the nation earlier this year after she went missing after finishing the ultramarathon in Durban, before being found in a critical condition. The 54-year-old spent several days in hospital undergoing intensive treatment, and was eventually discharged after making what was described as a miraculous recovery. Towards the end of June, The South African revealed that Harding has made encouraging recovery progress in her recovery, while she has confirmed to IOL that she has no plans to return to run the famed the endurance race again next year. 'I went missing at the end of the Comrades Marathon and was found 15 hours later, unconscious and unresponsive due to severe dehydration and extremely low sodium levels resulting in disorientation and delirium,' she explained in an emotional personal message posted on a runners community group. Harding also shared a debt of gratitude to all those who assisted, supported and cared for her during 'one of the toughest moments' of her life. 'I would like to sincerely thank all those who supported me and prayed for me when I went missing… Your love and prayers carried me through one of the toughest moments of my life.' Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
The Citizen
2 days ago
- Health
- The Citizen
Zishan finds life-saving stem cell donor
When nine-year-old Zishan Reddy was diagnosed with leukaemia for the second time and needed a bone marrow transplant, his mother Goolshun, family friends, and the Ashton International College community sprang into action in the hopes of finding a donor. Goolshun issued a heartfelt plea for potential donors to register with the South African Bone Marrow Registry (SABMR), while Ashton hosted a stem cell donor drive on May 30. In a show of solidarity, teacher Robyn Daniel also dedicated her June 8 Comrades Marathon run to Zishan's fight. While Goolshun says she is 'eternally grateful for the support from South Africans', she never imagined that her son's match would come from nearly 7 300km away, in India. 'When Dr Kate Bennett shared the news with Zishan, he just threw his hands up in the air and said, 'Yes, yes, yes!' I could just see the excitement in his face,' said Goolshun. 'But with all the excitement also comes some anxiety. We are just taking it day by day,' she added. ALSO READ: Robyn achieves Comrades PB for little leukemia sufferer 'All we know is that the donor is from India, and we are eternally grateful to them for giving so selflessly and being willing to save another life. We are relieved it's a great match for my little warrior, Zishan. 'We continue to pray the transplant will be an easy and painless journey for him. We trust his strength, courage and fighting spirit will carry him through.' She extended heartfelt thanks to everyone who supported them during this journey: 'We are eternally grateful for all the love and support and hope you will continue to help others still waiting for a transplant. Thank you, and God bless, from my family to yours.' She had special words for her daughter: 'To my daughter Thuraya, thank you for being the best big sister. You are such a strong, beautiful girl, and I am super proud of you. We love you very much.' She also praised Robyn Daniel for her dedication and continued support: 'A very special thank you to Robyn for her love and support of our family. It is so heart-warming and means so much to us. She has continued to keep in touch with Zishan's treatment through regular messages. She has a heart full of love and care.' Zishan recently spent five days at Netcare Unitas Hospital receiving radiation and has since been transferred to the Wits University Donald Gordon Medical Centre, where the next phase of his transplant will begin. ALSO READ: It would mean the world to Zishan if he gets a stem cell donor
The Citizen
5 days ago
- Sport
- The Citizen
Junior cycling trio from Ballito dominate Amashova race
Young Ballito cyclists Josh Johnson and Madison Bateson led the charge at Sunday's Amashova National Classic, each taking top honours in their age categories over 106km. Daniel van der Watt (21), also from Ballito, cruised to the men's 132km title in 3:24:00 to give the North Coast three winners on the day. Johnson (17) claimed the U19 title in a fiercely contested field, while Bateson (15) powered to victory in the U17 division with an excellent time of 2:54:07 in Durban. Johnson clocked in his winning time at 02:18:10, earning the junior yellow jersey and R1 500 in prize money. Johnson also placed an impressive fifth overall out of 1 457 male riders. The Amashova, one of South Africa's most renowned road races, challenges cyclists with a demanding route inspired by the Comrades Marathon. This year, more than 3 500 riders competed across four distances – 38km, 65km, 106km and 132km – as part of the race's 39th edition. The race started at Pietermaritzburg City Hall, winding through the Midlands and Valley of a Thousand Hills before finishing under the Masabalala Yengwa Pedestrian Bridge in Durban. 'Winning the age group race is a good outcome,' said Johnson. This marked Johnson's first race against South Africa's elite riders since returning from Europe. Although he narrowly missed an overall podium finish, he was pleased with his performance. 'A strong pace was set early to test the rest of the field. I wanted to make a move but mistimed it, so I settled into the following bunch and aimed for a podium position.' Johnson, who also won the U17 Amashova title in 2023, recently became the first African rider to join the prestigious U19 development team of World Tour outfit Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe. Home-schooled and regularly training in Europe, Johnson credits his family and friends for their unwavering support in helping him achieve his goals. 'Road racing has given me the opportunity to turn my passion into a career, and I am determined to make it to the highest level,' he said. Errin Mackridge (18) – Another Ballito DriveTrain Academy rider – also impressed, finishing second in the women's U19 106km category in a time of 2:57:20. Stay in the loop with The North Coast Courier on Facebook, X, Instagram & YouTube for the latest news. Mobile users can join our WhatsApp Broadcast Service here, or if you're on desktop, scan the QR code below.
The Citizen
22-07-2025
- Health
- The Citizen
International donor found for Zishan Reddy
When nine-year-old Zishan Reddy was diagnosed with leukaemia for the second time and needed a bone marrow transplant, his mother Goolshun, family friends, and the Ashton International College community sprang into action in the hopes of finding a donor. Goolshun issued a heartfelt plea for potential donors to register with the South African Bone Marrow Registry (SABMR), while Ashton hosted a stem cell donor drive on May 30. In a show of solidarity, teacher Robyn Daniel also dedicated her June 8 Comrades Marathon run to Zishan's fight. While Goolshun says she is 'eternally grateful for the support from South Africans', she never imagined that her son's match would come from nearly 7 300km away, in India. 'When Dr Kate Bennett shared the news with Zishan, he just threw his hands up in the air and said, 'Yes, yes, yes!' I could just see the excitement in his face,' said Goolshun. 'But with all the excitement also comes some anxiety. We are just taking it day by day,' she added. 'All we know is that the donor is from India, and we are eternally grateful to them for giving so selflessly and being willing to save another life. We are relieved it's a great match for my little warrior, Zishan. 'We continue to pray the transplant will be an easy and painless journey for him. We trust his strength, courage and fighting spirit will carry him through.' She extended heartfelt thanks to everyone who supported them during this journey: 'We are eternally grateful for all the love and support and hope you will continue to help others still waiting for a transplant. Thank you, and God bless, from my family to yours.' She had special words for her daughter: 'To my daughter Thuraya, thank you for being the best big sister. You are such a strong, beautiful girl, and I am super proud of you. We love you very much.' She also praised Robyn Daniel for her dedication and continued support: 'A very special thank you to Robyn for her love and support of our family. It is so heart-warming and means so much to us. She has continued to keep in touch with Zishan's treatment through regular messages. She has a heart full of love and care.' Zishan recently spent five days at Netcare Unitas Hospital receiving radiation and has since been transferred to the Wits University Donald Gordon Medical Centre, where the next phase of his transplant will begin. Also Read: This Kids Haven fundraiser is a laughing matter – be there! At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
20-07-2025
- Climate
- The Citizen
PICTURES: Swimmers brave winter cold for polar dip at Ebotse
About 50 swimmers jumped into Vanryn Dam on a cold Saturday morning to take part in the WannaDo Events Polar Swim Challenge. The Polar Bear Swim at Vanryn Dam at Ebotse Golf and Country Estate featured distances of 1km, 500m and 250m. Wetsuits were not allowed. All swimmers who completed the cold challenge received a medal and hot soup after their icy escapades. Swimmers brave the mid-winter waters of Vanryn Dam during the WannaDo Events 'Polar Bear Swim', 20 July 2025, at Ebotse Golf and Country Estate in Benoni. Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen PICTURES: Thousands cheer for Comrades Marathon runners
