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Arab Times
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Arab Times
World's oldest marathon runner, dies at 114 in hit-and-run accident
LONDON, July 16, (AP): Fauja Singh, an Indian-born runner nicknamed the Turbaned Torpedo who was believed to be the world's oldest marathon runner, has died after being hit by a car. He was 114. Local media in India reported that Singh sustained severe head injuries in a hit-and-run accident on Monday while he was crossing the road at his native village near Jalandhar in Punjab. He was taken to the hospital where he later died. His London-based running club and charity, Sikhs In The City, confirmed his death. India's Prime minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to Singh, saying he was "extraordinary because of his unique persona and the manner in which he inspired the youth of India on a very important topic of fitness.' Singh became the oldest man to run a full marathon in 2011 at the age of 100 in Toronto. His accomplishment was not recognized by Guinness World Records because he did not have a birth certificate to prove his age. Singh had a British passport that showed his date of birth as April 1, 1911, while a letter from Indian government officials stated that birth records were not kept in 1911. A torchbearer for the 2012 London Olympics, Singh took up running at the age of 89 as a way to get over depression after his wife and son died in quick succession in India. The death in 1994 of his son took a particularly hard toll on him because of its grisly nature. Singh and his son, Kuldip, both farmers, were checking on their fields in the middle of a storm when a piece of corrugated metal blown by the wind decapitated Kuldip in front of his father's eyes. Singh, whose five other children had emigrated, was left all alone. "He didn't think his life was worth living without his son' following the traumatic incident, his coach Harmander Singh said. He went to live with his youngest son in London. That's where sports enthusiast Singh attended tournaments organized by the Sikh community and took part in sprints. He met some Sikh marathon runners who encouraged him to take up long-distance running. One day he saw a marathon on television for the first time and decided that's what he wanted to do. At the age of 89 in 2000 he ran the London Marathon, his first, and went on to do eight more. His best time was 5 hours and 40 minutes at the 2003 Toronto Marathon. "From a tragedy has come a lot of success and happiness,' Singh said. Singh ran his last competitive race in 2013 at the age of 101, finishing the Hong Kong Marathon's 10-kilometer (6.25-mile) race in 1 hour, 32 minutes, 28 seconds. Following his retirement from racing, he said he hoped "people will remember me and not forget me.' He also wanted people to continue to invite him to events "rather than forget me altogether just because I don't run anymore.' "He was an exceptional athlete with incredible determination,' Modi said. "Pained by his passing away. My thoughts are with his family and countless admirers around the world.'
Gulf Today
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Gulf Today
'World's oldest marathon runner' dies aged 114 in road accident
India's Fauja Singh, believed to be the world's oldest distance runner, has died in a road accident aged 114, his biographer said Tuesday. Singh, an Indian-born British national, nicknamed the "Turbaned Tornado", died after being hit by a vehicle in Punjab state's Jalandhar district on Monday. "My Turbaned Tornado is no more," Fauja's biographer Khushwant Singh wrote on X. "He was struck by an unidentified vehicle... in his village, Bias, while crossing the road. Rest in peace, my dear Fauja." Singh did not have a birth certificate but his family said he was born on April 1, 1911. He ran full marathons (42 kilometre) till the age of 100. His last race was a 10-kilometre (six-mile) event at the 2013 Hong Kong Marathon when 101, where he finished in one hour, 32 minutes and 28 seconds. He became an international sensation after taking up distance running at the ripe old age of 89, after the death of his wife and one of his sons, inspired by seeing marathons on television. Although widely regarded as the world's oldest marathon runner, he was not certified by Guinness World Records as he could not prove his age, saying that birth certificates did not exist when he was born under British colonial rule in 2011. Singh was a torchbearer for the Olympics at Athens 2004 and London 2012, and appeared in advertisements with sports stars such as David Beckham and Muhammad Ali. His strength and vitality were credited to a routine of farm walks and a diet including Indian sweet "laddu" packed with dry fruits and home-churned curd. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute on social media. "Fauja Singh was extraordinary because of his unique persona and the manner in which he inspired the youth of India on a very important topic of fitness," said Modi on X "He was an exceptional athlete with incredible determination. Pained by his passing away. My thoughts are with his family and countless admirers around the world." Agence France-Presse
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Business Standard
5 hours ago
- Sport
- Business Standard
Fauja Singh, centenarian runner who inspired millions, dies at 114
The saying 'It's never too late to start over' finds its most extraordinary embodiment in the life of Fauja Singh. The world-renowned centenarian marathoner, who didn't lace up his running shoes until the age of 89, passed away on Monday night at 114. His death was sudden and tragic, he was struck by an unidentified vehicle while out on a walk in his hometown, Beas Pind in Jalandhar. Despite his age, the abruptness of his passing left many heartbroken. Having spent much of his running career in the UK, Singh returned to his roots in India about three years ago after retiring. According to his biographer, Khushwant Singh, "We used to caution him about the dangers of running in India because of reckless driving. Sadly, that's exactly how his journey ended." The journey that began through healing Fauja's path to greatness wasn't born of ambition but healing. After the loss of his youngest son in the 1990s, following the earlier deaths of his wife and daughter, he emigrated to the UK. In Essex, he discovered a running club, which became his refuge and later, his passion. 'Back in the village, he would sit for hours at the cremation ground. That's when his family decided he should move to the UK,' Khushwant said. Running began as a way to escape grief but grew into a purpose. Fauja would go on to participate in prestigious marathons, London, New York, Hong Kong, clocking impressive times for someone not only over 90, but born with weak legs. In 2012, he was a torchbearer at the London Olympics and was honoured by Queen Elizabeth II for his contributions to sport and charity. 'Before meeting the Queen, we had to keep telling him not to hug her like he would greet children,' Khushwant laughed. Ontario Masters Association Invitational Meet: World records broken by Fauja Singh 100m - 23.40 seconds (previous 29.83) 200m - 52.23 seconds (previous 77.59 seconds) 400m - 2:13.48 (previous 3:41.00) 800m - 5:32.18 (no previous record) 1,500m - 11:27.00 (previous 16:46.00) Mile - 11:53.45 (no previous record) 3,000m - 24:52.47 (no previous record) 5,000m - 49:57.39 (no previous record) Despite his fame, Fauja remained grounded. Illiterate but able to recognize numbers as visual patterns, he had no interest in wealth. Every penny he earned through running went to charity. Even unsolicited donations from admirers were quickly dropped into Gurudwara boxes. A true Punjabi at heart, he loved pinnis and the occasional McDonald's strawberry shake, but his discipline as a runner never wavered. He trained diligently and lived simply. One of his most iconic achievements came in 2011 when he turned 100. At an invitational meet in Toronto, he set several records for his age group. Unfortunately, Guinness World Records didn't recognize them due to the lack of a birth certificate, something that never bothered him. 'He was just happy with the attention,' Khushwant said. 'When I once asked if he feared death, he replied, 'Of course, the fun is just beginning.'' Even well past his prime, Fauja remained active, joining a run against drug addiction just two years ago. His name, which means 'soldier,' perfectly suited his approach to life. He faced his trials with unwavering strength and trust in humanity. 'He never worried about travel or logistics,' said Khushwant. 'He believed, 'The community will take care of me.''
Euronews
7 hours ago
- Sport
- Euronews
World's oldest marathon runner dies at 114 after being hit by a car
The Turbaned Torpedo, an Indian-born runner who was thought to be the oldest marathon runner in history, died on Monday after being struck by a car. The marathoner, whose real name is Fauja Singh, was 114. According to local media in India, Singh sustained severe head injuries in a hit-and-run accident on Monday while he was crossing the road at his native village near Jalandhar in Punjab. He was taken to the hospital, where he later died. His London-based running club and charity, Sikhs In The City, confirmed his death. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to Singh, saying he was 'extraordinary because of his unique persona and the manner in which he inspired the youth of India on a very important topic of fitness.' In 2011, at the age of 100, Singh became the oldest man to complete a full marathon in Toronto, but the Guinness World Records did not recognise his achievement since he lacked a birth certificate to verify his age. With a British passport that showed his date of birth as April 1, 1911, a letter from Indian government officials showed that birth records were not kept in 1911, throwing Singh's real age into doubt. Singh took up running at the age of 89 as a way to get over depression after his wife and son died in quick succession in India. The death in 1994 of his son took a particularly hard toll on him because of its grisly nature. Singh and his son, Kuldip, both farmers, were checking on their fields in the middle of a storm when a piece of corrugated metal blown by the wind decapitated Kuldip in front of his father's eyes. A torchbearer for the 2012 London Olympics, the British Indian marathoner completed his first London Marathon in 2000 at the age of 89 and went on to do eight more. At the 2003 Toronto Marathon, he set a personal best time of five hours and forty minutes. 'From a tragedy has come a lot of success and happiness,' Singh said. Singh ran his last competitive race in 2013 at the age of 101, finishing the Hong Kong Marathon's 10-kilometer (6.25-mile) race in 1 hour, 32 minutes, 28 seconds. Following his retirement from racing, he said he hoped 'people will remember me and not forget me.' He also wanted people to continue to invite him to events 'rather than forget me altogether just because I don't run anymore.' 'He was an exceptional athlete with incredible determination,' Modi said. 'Pained by his passing away. My thoughts are with his family and countless admirers around the world.'
Kuwait Times
7 hours ago
- Sport
- Kuwait Times
Oldest marathoner Fauja Singh dies at 114 in hit-and-run
Fauja Singh NEW DELHI: India's Fauja Singh, believed to be the world's oldest distance runner, has died in a road accident aged 114, his biographer said Tuesday. Singh, an Indian-born British national, nicknamed the 'Turbaned Tornado', died after being hit by a vehicle in Punjab state's Jalandhar district on Monday. 'My Turbaned Tornado is no more,' Fauja's biographer Khushwant Singh wrote on X. 'He was struck by an unidentified vehicle... in his village, Bias, while crossing the road. Rest in peace, my dear Fauja.' Singh did not have a birth certificate but his family said he was born on April 1, 1911. He ran full marathons (42 km) till the age of 100. His last race was a 10-km event at the 2013 Hong Kong Marathon when 101, where he finished in one hour, 32 minutes and 28 seconds. He became an international sensation after taking up distance running at the ripe old age of 89, after the death of his wife and one of his sons, inspired by seeing marathons on television. Although widely regarded as the world's oldest marathon runner, he was not certified by Guinness World Records as he could not prove his age, saying that birth certificates did not exist when he was born under British colonial rule in 2011. Singh was a torchbearer for the Olympics at Athens 2004 and London 2012, and appeared in advertisements with sports stars such as David Beckham and Muhammad Ali. His strength and vitality were credited to a routine of farm walks and a diet including Indian sweet 'laddu' packed with dry fruits and home-churned curd. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute on social media. 'Fauja Singh was extraordinary because of his unique persona and the manner in which he inspired the youth of India on a very important topic of fitness,' said Modi on X. 'He was an exceptional athlete with incredible determination. Pained by his passing away. My thoughts are with his family and countless admirers around the world.' – AFP
