By: Natasha Archary
The Comrades Marathon has claimed its second victim after runner Phakamile Nthiza’s death was confirmed.
Nthiza collapsed near Drummond along the gruelling 90km Comrades Marathon route to the Moses Mabhida stadium in Durban.
Those tracking the runner’s progress initially assumed Nthiza had tapped out and taken the bus back to the finish.
This was however, not the case and the Adventist Athletics Club runner was pronounced dead after collapsing.
Another runner, Mzamo Mthembu also collapsed and died while running the race, Mthembu experienced complications along the route and unfortunately passed away in Pinetown, KZN.
KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Sport, Arts and Culture, Amanda Bani-Mapena said the news of the runners’ deaths had marred an otherwise successful event.
“I have no words. Just when we are celebrating the return of this magnificent race, tragedy hits. While we all understand the health and physical risks associated with a race of such magnitude, we never anticipated that we would lose the lives of athletes.
Our heartfelt condolences go to their beloved families, friends, teammates and their clubs. They died doing what they loved most which was running.”
KZN MEC for Sport, Arts & Culture, Amanda Bani-Mapena confirmed the death of a second Comrades Marathon runner
Bani-Mapena said she understands that there are two other runners in critical condition in hospital and said that she and her department are praying for their speedy recovery.
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