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Oldest marathon runner Fauja Singh dies at age 114, hit-and-run driver arrested

The world’s oldest marathon runner has died at age 114 — from a sudden car accident rather than the expected natural causes.

Source: Ontario Master Athletics

Fauja Singh, an India-born British national nicknamed the “Turbaned Tornado”, passed away in his native village in Beas Pind, Punjab.

Marathon runner dies after being hit by car while crossing road

According to The Times of India, Mr Singh was on his way to an eatery named after his deceased son on 14 July.

Source: The Times of India

When crossing a road at around 3.30pm, a white Toyota Fortuner crashed into him before driving off.

Passers-by rushed to the senior, who had fallen face down.

Mr Gurdeep Singh, who manages the eatery, called it a “brutal shock” to see Mr Singh, a regular customer who was usually alert and witty, badly injured.

They rushed him to the hospital in a conscious state, but he later died from head injuries.

Hit-and-run driver arrested

The police identified the involved Toyota through CCTV footage, which they linked to Amritpal Singh Dhillon.

Source: NDTV

On 16 July, officers arrested the 30-year-old non-resident Indian, who confessed to the crime. His white car has also been seized.

Dhillon explained that he did not know the victim was the famed marathoner, only realising through the news.

Following the incident, Mr Singh’s biographer shared the news on X, saying: “Rest in peace, my fear Fauja.”

Source: Khushwant Singh on X

Runner completed first marathon at 89

Mr Fauja Singh was allegedly born on 1 April 1911. However, his age could not be proven by the Guinness World Records due to a lack of a birth certificate.

After the death of his fifth son, whom the eatery would later be named after, Mr Singh took up running with a passion in 1995.

According to his coach, he showed up to his first training session in a three-piece suit.

He ran his first marathon in 2000, at the age of 89, completing it in six hours and 54 minutes.

At 100 years old, Mr Singh also accomplished eight world records for his age group in a 5km run.

Source: Ontario Master Athletics

He also became the first centenarian to complete a marathon when he ran the Toronto Waterfront Marathon in eight hours and 11 minutes.

Mr Singh retired in 2013, aged 101, after running a 10km race at the Hong Kong Marathon in one hour and 32 minutes.

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