World’s Oldest Marathon Runner Dies at 114 in Hit-and-Run Crash

The world’s oldest marathon runner has tragically passed away at the age of 114 after being struck in a hit-and-run incident. Celebrated for extraordinary endurance and inspiring countless individuals with his lifelong commitment to fitness, his death marks a heartbreaking end to a remarkable life. The incident has sparked grief and outrage, as authorities search for the driver responsible. His legacy as a symbol of strength, perseverance, and passion for running will be remembered worldwide.

Fauja Singh, widely known as the oldest person to run marathons and who continued competing well past his 100th birthday, passed away on Monday after being struck in a hit-and-run, Indian police reported. He was 114 years old.

Originally from a village in India and later a resident of London, Singh took up long-distance running in his late 80s, earning the nickname “Turbaned Tornado.” Over time, he completed nine full marathons.

Although recognized globally for his extraordinary accomplishments, Singh was never officially awarded a Guinness World Record because he lacked documentation proving his birth year. Indian authorities stated that he was walking near his birthplace in Beas, Punjab, when an unidentified vehicle hit him and fled the scene.

He was taken to Shrimann Hospital in Jalandhar, where he later died due to serious injuries to his ribs and head, according to Senior Superintendent of Police Harvinder Singh Virk. The suspect was apprehended on Tuesday after a review of security footage, Virk said, adding that charges of negligent driving and culpable homicide not amounting to murder have been filed.

Inspector Hardev Preet Singh, based in Adampur, shared that the 26-year-old accused is a non-resident Indian with family in Canada, and he was brought before a court in Jalandhar on Wednesday.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to Singh, describing him as an extraordinary sportsman with remarkable willpower. Singh began his journey into marathon running at the age of 89, shortly after relocating to England following the deaths of his wife and son.

In a past interview with CNN at age 102, he mentioned that running helped heal him emotionally and allowed him to overcome his grief and loss. Despite only a short period of training, he completed his first marathon and went on to record a personal best time of 5 hours and 40 minutes during the 2003 Toronto Waterfront Marathon.

Eight years later, in 2011, he made history in Toronto by becoming the first person aged 100 or older to finish a full marathon, clocking in at 8 hours, 11 minutes, and 6 seconds. His early years were marked by physical challenges, including an inability to walk until the age of five due to leg weakness.

Singh’s final race was in Hong Kong in 2013, where he ran a 10-kilometer event, a year after he participated as an Olympic torchbearer for the 2012 London Games. Despite never receiving official recognition from Guinness World Records, due to the absence of birth documentation, Singh did receive a congratulatory letter from Queen Elizabeth on reaching 100 years of age.

He once told CNN, at the age of 102, that he deeply cherished his running shoes and found immense joy in wearing them, considering them an inseparable part of his life.

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Source: CNN‍