Tributes paid to world’s oldest marathon runner, aged 114

15 Jul 2025 • 7:15 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

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  • Fauja Singh, believed to be the world's oldest marathon runner, has died aged 114 after being hit by a car in his birth village of Beas Pind, Punjab.
  • Born in April 1911, he took up running at 89 in 2000, completing his first marathon and quickly rising to fame by setting multiple age-group records.
  • Known as the Turbaned Tornado, Mr Singh became the first centenarian to run a marathon and retired from the sport at 101, having also been a torchbearer for the London 2012 Olympics.
  • His death was confirmed by his London-based running club, Sikhs In The City, which plans to dedicate future events to his life and achievements.
  • Mr Singh was described by his coach Harmander Singh, as an “icon of humanity and powerhouse of positivity” while local MP Preet Kaur Gill called him a “truly inspiring man”.

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