World’s Oldest Marathon Runner Dies Aged 114

India’s legendary centenarian runner Fauja Singh, believed to be the world’s oldest marathon athlete, has died at the age of 114 after being struck by a vehicle in northern India, his biographer confirmed on Tuesday.

Nicknamed the “Turbaned Tornado,” Singh, a British citizen of Indian origin, was killed on Monday while crossing the road in his native village of Bias, located in Punjab’s Jalandhar district.

“My Turbaned Tornado is no more,” wrote his biographer Khushwant Singh on X. “He was struck by an unidentified vehicle… in his village, Bias, while crossing the road. Rest in peace, my dear Fauja.”

Although Singh lacked a formal birth certificate, his family maintained he was born on April 1, 1911, a time when official documentation was rare under British colonial rule.

He took up distance running at 89, following the loss of his wife and one of his sons, motivated by watching televised marathons. What began as a way to cope with grief transformed him into an international inspiration.

He ran his final competitive race—a 10-kilometre event in the 2013 Hong Kong Marathon—at age 101, clocking a remarkable time of 1 hour, 32 minutes, and 28 seconds.

Until the age of 100, Singh completed full marathons (42 kilometres), astonishing fans and experts alike with his endurance and spirit. His lack of official documents, however, meant Guinness World Records did not certify him as the world’s oldest marathoner.

Despite this, he captured global imagination. Singh was chosen as a torchbearer in both the Athens 2004 and London 2012 Olympics. He featured in advertisements alongside global icons like David Beckham and Muhammad Ali, and was revered not only for his feats, but for his humility and discipline.

Much of his strength was credited to a simple rural lifestyle—daily farm walks, home-churned curd, and a diet rich in dry fruits and the traditional Indian sweet, laddu.

Tributes poured in from across the world. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote on X: “Fauja Singh 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. 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.”

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