Fauja Singh, world's oldest marathon runner, dies at 114
Fauja Singh, the British-Indian centenarian who captured global hearts as the world’s oldest marathon runner, has died at the age of 114 in a hit-and-run incident in Punjab, India.
Singh was struck by an unidentified vehicle while walking near his home in Beas Pind village. Despite efforts by locals to rush him to hospital, he succumbed to his injuries. Authorities say a search is underway to identify and apprehend the driver, News.Az reports, citing BBC.
Singh began his running career at the age of 89, completing nine full marathons between 2000 and 2013. Though his age was never officially recognized by Guinness World Records due to lack of documentation, his British passport listed his birth as April 1, 1911.
His coach, Harmander Singh, called him a “symbol of resilience and purpose.” Known as the “Turbaned Tornado,” Singh shot to international fame after being featured in Adidas’s Nothing is Impossible campaign alongside Muhammad Ali.
He ran marathons in London, Toronto, and Hong Kong, often raising money for children’s charities. A torchbearer for the 2012 London Olympics, Singh became an icon of active aging and determination.
Tributes poured in following his death, with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi calling him an “exceptional athlete with incredible determination.” British MP Preet Kaur Gill called him “a truly inspiring man” whose “deep humility left a lasting mark.”
Singh is remembered not just for his athletic achievements, but for a life marked by discipline, simple living, and grace. As he once told the BBC, “Running gave my life a mission and brought me global recognition.”
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