
Fauja Singh: British runner - believed to be world's oldest to complete a marathon - killed in road accident
Fauja Singh was hit by a car and suffered fatal injuries while trying to cross a road in his birth village of Beas Pind in India.
News of his death was confirmed by his London-based running club and charity, Sikhs In The City.
Singh had lived in Ilford since 1992, and become an inspiration for countless athletes by running marathons beyond his 100th birthday.
His athletic achievements were made even more remarkable considering he suffered from thin and weak legs as a child - and couldn't walk until he was five years old.
Singh's maiden marathon in London was in 2000, with a time of six hours and 54 minutes - 58 minutes faster than other runners of a comparable age.
A personal best came in Toronto in 2003, at five hours and 40 minutes - and eight years later, it's believed he became the first centenarian to run a marathon.
After serving as a torchbearer at the London 2012 Olympics aged 101, he retired.
Harmander Singh, his coach at Sikhs In The City, described him as an "icon of humanity and powerhouse of positivity".
MPs also paid tribute to his legacy, with Preet Kaur Gill writing on X: "Saddened to hear about the passing of Fauja Singh.
"I had the honour of meeting him. A truly inspiring man. His discipline, simple living, and deep humility left a lasting mark on me.
"A reminder that age is just a number, but attitude is everything. Rest in power, legend."
Jas Athwal described Singh as "a global Sikh icon that inspired millions across the world".
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