World's oldest marathon runner dies in a hit-and-run accident at the age of 114

World's oldest marathon runner dies in a hit-and-run accident at the age of 114

Fauja Singh, the world's oldest marathon runner who remained active even after his 100th birthday, died in a road accident on Monday at the age of 114. This was confirmed by the police in India. Singh was born in a rural area of ​​India and later lived in London, where he earned the nickname “Turbaned Tornado” after he began running marathons at the age of nearly 90. He completed a total of nine of the 26.2 mile races.

A remarkable journey in life

Although Singh was considered the world's oldest marathon runner, he was not awarded a Guinness World Record because he lacked a birth certificate. According to Indian police, Singh was struck by an unknown vehicle while traveling on a road near his home village of Beas in India's northwestern state of Punjab. He was rushed to Srimann Hospital in Jalandhar district where he died of injuries sustained to his head and ribs.

Investigations into the accident

"We are working to identify the vehicle. We are using CCTV footage from the area to trace the vehicle and have deployed teams to work on it," Jalandhar Senior Superintendent of Police Harvinder Singh Virk said. A passerby witnessed the accident.

appreciation of his achievements

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi led nationwide tributes to Singh, calling him an "extraordinary athlete with incredible resilience." Singh only began running marathons at the age of 89, having moved to England following the deaths of his wife and son.

Inspirational words from a runner

"Running showed me kindness and brought me back to life by helping me forget all my traumas and worries," he told CNN in an interview when he was 102 years old. His first marathon took place just a few months after he began training, and he achieved his personal record of five hours and 40 minutes at the 2003 Toronto Waterfront Marathon after three years.

Milestone in marathon history

In 2011, Singh returned to Toronto and became the first documented centenarian to complete a marathon, with a time of eight hours, 11 minutes and six seconds. This was in stark contrast to his humble childhood in India, where he was unable to walk until the age of five due to weakness in his legs.

Last race and honors

His last race was in Hong Kong in 2013, a 10-kilometer race, a year after he carried the Olympic flame for the 2012 London Olympics. Despite his successes, his achievements were never recognized by the Guinness World Records guidelines because he lacked a birth certificate. Nevertheless, he received a letter from Queen Elizabeth II congratulating him on his 100th birthday.

Passion for running

"I'm very fond of my running shoes, I absolutely love them. I wear them for joy. I can't imagine my life without them," he told CNN when he was 102 years old.