Fauja Singh, the “oldest” marathon of the world marathon, died at 114 in hit and running

Faudzha Singh, a British-Indian man who is thought to be the oldest marathon runner in the world, has died after being hit by a car in India at the age of 114.

Police claim that Singh was crossing the village where he was born in Punjab when an unidentified vehicle hit him. The locals took him to a hospital where he died.

Singh, a global icon, set records by managing marathons in age categories, including when it was over 100. He started running at 89 and held nine full marathons between 2000 and 2013 when he retired.

His management club and charity, Sikhs in the city, said his upcoming events in Ilford, East London, where he lived since 1992, would be a holiday of his life and achievements.

The blow and running happened on Monday when the centenary was walking in her birthday village of Bey Pind, near Jalandhar.

“A search is coming and the accused will soon be caught,” said Harvinder Singh, a senior district police officer.

As the news of death broke, the stands poured.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called him “an exceptional athlete with incredible determination.”

Harman Singh, Faudzha Singa coach in SIKHS in the city, confirmed his death in a statement published in The Running Club.

The statement says: “With great sadness we can confirm our icon of humanity and the power of positivity that Faudzha Singh has died in India.

“His ruling clubs and charity Sikhs in the city will spend all their events to the Faja Singh’s birthday challenge on Sunday March 29, 2026 to celebrate their lives of success and achievement.

“We will double the effort to raise funds to build the Faudzha Singh club house along the Ilford route where he was training.”

When the BBC met Singh in June at Beas Pind, he was nimble and active, walking a few miles every day.

“I still walk around the village to keep my feet strong. One has to take care of my own body,” he said.

Torch for the 2012 London Olympics, Singh, has put several major stages during his running career, including reports that he was the first hundred -tier to graduate in a full marathon in Toronto.

However, his claim to be the oldest marathon runner in the world has not been recognized by the world records of Guinness, as he cannot show a birth certificate since 1911 BBC Reported at this time The British passport of the SINGX showed his date of birth as April 1, 1911 and that he had a letter from the queen, which congratulates him for his 100th birthday.

His coach Harman Singh said that the birth certificates were not made in India at the time Singh was born.

Guinness World Records staff said they would enjoy “giving him a record”, but that they could “accept only official birth documents created during the year of birth.”

As a young boy growing up in Punjab, Singh was annoyed by people in his village because his legs were weak and he couldn’t walk properly until the age of five.

“But the same boy, once made fun of his weakness, continued to make history,” he told the BBC Punjabi in June.

Before the age of 40, Singh, a farmer, has survived the turbulence of both world wars and experience the trauma of divisionS

“In my youth, I didn’t even know that the word” marathon “exists,” Singh told BBC Punjabi. “I never went to school, nor did I participate in any sport. I was a farmer and spent the bigger part of my life in the fields.”

He first started running to deal with the grief.

After the death of his wife, Gian Kaur in the early 1990s, he moved to London to live with his largest son Suhginder. But during a visit to India, he witnessed the death of his younger son Kuldep in an incident that left him devastated.

Ahead of grief, Singh would spend hours sitting near where his son was cremated. The concerned peasants advised his family to return him to the UK.

Back to Ilford in London, during one of his visits to Gourdra, Singh met with a group of elderly men who would go together. He also met with Harman Singh, who would become his coach.

“If I hadn’t met Harhaander Singh, I wouldn’t have entered a marathon running,” he said in June.

Singh debuted at the London Marathon in 2000, a month of shy to turn 89 years. He participates by entering the gold bond – a system in which charity organizations in advance buy a fixed number of seats for a fee. He chose to run for Bliss, a charity that supports premature babies. His line: “The oldest running for the rows! Let them live as long as he.”

Singh says that before running, it was said by the event officials that he could only wear a duck (hats worn by many boys and men on Sikh), not a turban.

“I refused to run without my turban. In the end, the organizers allowed me to run with him, and for me this is my biggest achievement,” he said.

He finished the race in six hours and 54 minutes, marking the beginning of a remarkable trip.

With his third consistent appearance in the London marathon, he shaved nine minutes from his previous one.

In 2003, on the marathon on the shores of Toronto, he improved his time with an amazing one hour and five minutes, finishing the race in five hours and 40 minutes.

“I don’t remember my times; this is my coach Harman Singh, who holds the record of all my times. But whatever I have achieved, it’s all because of his training and I sincerely follow his graphics,” Singh said in June.

“In London, he made me run up and that’s why I continued to improve,” he added. “Almost every workout in London, I went to Gourdrara, where my diet took care. Everyone there motivated me to run long distances.”

Singh shot in international glory in 2003, when Adidas signed him for their nothing, an advertising campaign is impossible, which also includes legends like Mohammed Ali.

In 2005, he was invited by the then Prime Minister of Pakistan to participate in the introductory marathon in Lahore. A year later, in 2006, he received a special invitation from Queen Elizabeth II to visit Buckingham Palace.

Among the many memories and certificates shown in the Singh’s home in Punjab is a frame of it with the Queen.

He continued to compete in the marathons in his 100 and won the nickname “Turbanized Tornado”. Most of his revenue from the approvals went directly to charity foundations.

“I was the same Faudja single before I entered the world of running – but running gave my life a mission and brought me global recognition,” he recalled.

In 2013 he participated in his Last long distance race In Hong Kong, finishing 10 km running in one hour, 32 minutes and 28 seconds.

He credits his health and longevity to an ordinary lifestyle and a disciplined diet.

“I eat less, I run more and I remain happy – this is the secret behind my longevity. This is my message to everyone,” he said in June.

In his recent years, Singh has divided his time between India, where his younger son lives and the UK.

When the BBC met him in June, he hoped to visit London again to meet his family and coach.

British MP Price Caur Gill shared a picture of himself with him on X, he wrote: “A truly inspiring man. His discipline, the simple life and the deep humility left a lasting mark on me.”

Jas Athwal MP said Singh “has inspired millions around the world.” He writes to X: “His spirit and heritage of stability will continue forever.”

Additional reporting from Pardep Sharma