The world’s oldest marathon runner, Fauja Singh, died in a hit-and-run on Monday at the age of 114, according to Indian police. Singh, who started marathon running at 89, became a global icon for endurance and determination. He continued to compete for years after his 100th birthday.
Born in rural India in 1911, Singh later moved to London. He earned the nickname “Turbaned Tornado” after taking up marathon running in his late 80s. He completed nine marathons, inspiring millions worldwide. Though considered the world’s oldest marathon runner, he never received a Guinness World Record because he had no birth certificate.
Police said an unknown vehicle hit Singh while he was walking near his native village of Beas in Punjab. Police official Harvinder Singh Virk confirmed that he died from head and rib injuries at Shrimann Hospital in Jalandhar.
Authorities arrested a suspect on Tuesday after checking CCTV footage. Virk said, “We have registered a case under negligent driving and culpable homicide not amounting to murder.”
Inspector Hardev Preet Singh told CNN that the accused is 26 years old, lives overseas, and police has informed his family in Canada about the incident. Authorities brought the accused to Jalandhar district court on Wednesday.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi led tributes, calling Singh “an exceptional athlete with incredible determination.” Singh began marathon running after his wife and son died, saying, “Running showed me kindness and brought me back to life by making me forget all my traumas and sorrows,” in an interview, he was 102.
He ran his first marathon after only a few months of training and recorded his best time of five hours and 40 minutes at the 2003 Toronto Waterfront Marathon. In 2011, Singh became the first centenarian to finish a marathon in eight hours, 11 minutes, and six seconds.
His journey was remarkable because, as a child, he could not walk until the age of five due to weak legs. His last race was in Hong Kong in 2013, a year after carrying the torch for the 2012 London Olympics. Though Guinness did not recognise his feats, he received a congratulatory letter from Queen Elizabeth on his 100th birthday.
Singh once said, “I am very fond of my running shoes, absolutely love them. I wear them for pleasure. I can’t imagine my life without them.”
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