Fauja Singh, thought to be the oldest marathon runner in the world, tragically lost his life on Monday after being struck by a car while crossing the road in his hometown in India. He was 114 years old.
Born in 1911, Singh was rushed to the hospital with severe head injuries following the accident. The incident took place in Jalandhar, Punjab.
His running coach, Hermander Singh, confirmed the sad news on social media. “It’s a great sadness to be able to confirm that our beloved runner, Fauja Singh, a powerful symbol of humanity and positivity, has passed away in India at the age of 114,” he wrote. Singh succumbed to his injuries from the vehicle mishap.
Local police, represented by Harvinder Singh, mentioned that they are still searching for the driver involved in the incident.
Fauja Singh took up running at the age of 89 after experiencing significant personal losses. His wife and son had passed away, but it was the tragic death of his son, Kurdip, in a farming accident in 1994 that deeply affected him. He witnessed that terrible event.
After relocating to London to live with his youngest son, Singh discovered his passion for running. Reflecting on his journey, he remarked, “There’s been a lot of success and happiness from the tragedy.” In 2000, he finished the London Marathon and later ran several marathons, achieving his best time of 5 hours and 40 minutes in 2003.
In 2011, at the age of 100, Singh completed a marathon, though this was not officially recognized by Guinness World Records due to the lack of a birth certificate. Officials stated that birth records weren’t maintained when Singh was born, but he did possess a British passport indicating his birth date as April 1, 1911.
Following the news of his passing, tributes have been flooding in on social media. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences, describing Singh as an extraordinary individual who inspired many young people in India regarding fitness. The Singh running club in London plans to honor his legacy in upcoming events.
