Jalandhar: Veteran marathoner and sprinter Fauja Singh died in a road accident in Beas village of Jalandhar district on Monday. He was 114.
According to information, the incident took place around 3 pm when Fauja Singh was walking outside his house and was hit by a vehicle. He was first taken to a nearby hospital and later referred to a private hospital in Jalandhar, where doctors declared him dead.
Born on April 1, 1911, in Beas village, Fauja Singh developed a passion for running in his youth but remained deeply affected by the partition of the country in 1947. He was not formally educated and could only speak Punjabi.
On October 16, 2011, Fauja Singh became the world’s first 100-year-old sprinter to complete the Toronto Marathon, finishing in 8 hours, 11 minutes and 6 seconds. Initially, Guinness World Records did not recognise the record due to the absence of a birth certificate.
His British passport and a letter from Queen Elizabeth on his 100th birthday were later accepted, and his name was recorded in the Guinness World Records.
