World's oldest marathon runner, Indian-born British Fauja Singh, died after being hit by a hit-and-run driver in his hometown near Jalandhar, Punjab, India, on the 14th, reported Associated Press and others. He was 114 years old.
Singh's official date of birth on his passport is April 1, 1911. However, there are no birth records from that time in India, so there is no birth certificate.
Singh, who enjoyed running from a young age, began running seriously at the age of 89 to overcome depression after the deaths of his wife and son.
While living in London with his youngest son, he participated in a sprint event hosted by the Sikh community and was encouraged to try long-distance running.
He participated in his first marathon, the London Marathon, at the age of 89 in 2000. He then competed in a total of nine marathons.
His best record was 5 hours and 40 minutes at the 2003 Toronto Marathon when he was 92 years old. In 2011, at the age of 100, he also crossed the finish line at the Toronto Waterfront Marathon in a little over 8 hours and 11 minutes.
At the 2012 London Olympics, he served as a torchbearer. His last participation in a competition was completing the 10 kilometers at the 2013 Hong Kong Marathon in 1 hour, 32 minutes, and 28 seconds at the age of 101.
His trademark was a yellow turban, earning him the nickname "turbaned torpedo." In 2004, he appeared in an advertisement for the sports equipment manufacturer Adidas alongside football star David Beckham and boxing legend Muhammad Ali.
He had a height of 178 cm and a weight of 52 kg, and he enjoyed a diet that included tea and toast with curry.
Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India, commemorated him in a post on X (formerly Twitter), saying, "Fauja Singh was an exceptional athlete and a person of strong will."