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Fauja Singh, who is believed to have been the world’s oldest marathon runner, tragically died on Monday from injuries he sustained after being struck by a car while crossing a road in India. He was 114.
Singh, who was believed to have been born in 1911, was taken to a hospital after reports say he suffered severe head injuries after being hit by a car in his native village near Jalandhar in Punjab.
British Indian marathon runner Fauja Singh, 101, jogs during a practise at a park in Hong Kong February 21, 2013. Singh will take part in a 10-kilometer race at the Hong Kong Marathon on Sunday before he officially retires from public races. (Bobby Yip/Reuters)
His running coach, Harmander Singh, confirmed his death on social media.
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“Dearest runners, it is with great sadness that we can confirm our icon of humanity and powerhouse of positivity, Fauja Singh, has passed away in India, aged 114 years old,” his statement began. “He succumbed to injuries caused by a vehicle accident while crossing the road close to his home.”
Harvinder Singh, a top district police officer in the area, told the BBC that law enforcement is still searching for the driver of the vehicle.
Singh began running at the age of 89 after tragedy struck his family. He had lost his wife and son, but it was the tragic death of his son that Singh said had brought on his depression. His son, Kuldip, was decapitated in a farming accident in 1994. Singh had witnessed the horrible accident.
The world’s oldest marathon runner, 94-year-old Fauja Singh (C), gestures before the start of a short version of the 6 km International Marathon in Lahore, 30 January 2005. (Mohsin Raza/Reuters)
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He later moved to London to live with his youngest son and soon discovered his love for running.
“From a tragedy has come a lot of success and happiness,” Singh said after he ran the London marathon in 2000. He competed in several marathons after, and his best finish was at the Toronto marathon in 2003, where he completed the race in 5 hours and 40 minutes.
In 2011, at the age of 100, Singh became the oldest man to complete a marathon. The record, however, was not officially recognized by Guinness World Records because he did not have a birth certificate to prove his age.
Government officials in India had stated that birth records were not kept at the time Singh was born. He did have a British passport that listed his date of birth as April 1, 1911.
British Indian marathon runner Fauja Singh, 101, and accompanied Indian runners wave to fans after finishing the 10-kilometer race of the Hong Kong Marathon February 24, 2013. Singh officially retires from competitive races after Sunday’s marathon. (Bobby Yip/Reuters)
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Tributes for Singh poured in on social media following the news of his death. Among them was a statement from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“Fauja Singh Ji was extraordinary because of his unique persona and the manner in which he inspired the youth of India on a very important topic of fitness,” Modi said in a post on X. “He was an exceptional athlete with incredible determination. Pained by his passing away. My thoughts are with his family and countless admirers around the world.”
Singh’s running club in London, Sikhs In The City, said it plans to honor his legacy at its upcoming events.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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