According to reports, the oldest marathon runner in history, known as the “Headscarf Storm,” Indian-born British runner Fauja Singh, died at the age of 114 in a traffic accident in Punjab, India.
The incident occurred when the octogenarian, who had previously been a torchbearer for the 2012 London Olympics, was walking outside his home in Bias Village when he was hit by an unidentified vehicle. His son, Habin Singh, revealed that the accident happened around 3:30 PM and his family rushed him to the hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries at around 8 PM that evening. The local police have launched an investigation into the incident.
Fauja Singh could walk only until the age of five, nicknamed “stick” due to his thin legs during his childhood. As a young man, he was just an amateur runner and soon gave up.
His life took a turning point at the age of 83. In 1992, his wife, Gyan Kaur, passed away; in 1994, another son tragically lost his life in a storm. To overcome the onslaught of grief, he re-donned his running shoes. His former coach, Hamid Singh, said, “Running gave him a new focus in life, making it worth living.”
It wasn’t until 2000 that Fauja Singh began to take his running seriously. That year, after completing the London Marathon, he became famous overnight and never stopped running.
In 2011, at an athletics event in Toronto, he broke the world record for the 95-year-old age group in nine events within one day. Three days later, he shocked the world again by finishing the Toronto Lakeshore Marathon in 8 hours, 25 minutes and 16 seconds, becoming the first centenarian to complete the full marathon. The marathon is 42.195 kilometers (26.2 miles).
However, there are two controversies surrounding Fauja Singh’s claim of being the first centenarian to finish the full marathon. Competition officials noted that he received assistance at the finish line; another controversy lies in the fact that despite having a passport issued on April 1, 1911, he did not provide proof of birth to verify his age. This has prevented institutions such as Guinness World Records from officially recognizing this achievement.
In response, Fauja Singh appeared quite calm in an interview in 2016. He stated through a translator, “Everything I do is public, nothing secret.”
His influence is undeniable. He has participated in marathons held in Toronto, New York, and Mumbai and frequently inspires young people with his running activities. In 2003, he received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, becoming the first non-American to receive this honor. The Queen of England also sent congratulatory letters on his 100th and 105th birthdays.
Red Star News, Deng Xuyi