Latest news with #BeasPind
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Man arrested over hit-and-run death of world's 'oldest' marathon runner
Police in India have arrested a man in connection with the death of a 114-year-old British runner in a hit-and-run accident. Fauja Singh - believed to be the oldest in the world to complete a marathon - was during a trip to his birth village of Beas Pind in Punjab, . He suffered severe head injuries and was taken to hospital where he later died. Police investigating the incident have arrested a 26-year-old man for allegedly hitting him with a car, local media NDTV reported. The accused, named by the outlet as Amritpal Singh Dhillon, said that he learnt about the death of Mr Singh through the news. During a news conference, senior police officer Harvinder Singh Virk suggested the accused was speeding at the time of the collision. His Toyota Fortuner was identified using CCTV footage and parts of the vehicle were allegedly found at the scene. Singh had lived in Ilford in east London 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. After serving as a torchbearer at the London 2012 Olympics aged 101, he retired.
Sky News
3 days ago
- Sky News
Man arrested over hit-and-run death of world's 'oldest' marathon runner
Police in India have arrested a man in connection with the death of a 114-year-old British runner in a hit-and-run accident. Fauja Singh - believed to be the oldest in the world to complete a marathon - was hit by a car on Monday while crossing a road during a trip to his birth village of Beas Pind in Punjab, India. He suffered severe head injuries and was taken to hospital where he later died. Police investigating the incident have arrested a 26-year-old man for allegedly hitting him with a car, local media NDTV reported. The accused, named by the outlet as Amritpal Singh Dhillon, said that he learnt about the death of Mr Singh through the news. During a news conference, senior police officer Harvinder Singh Virk suggested the accused was speeding at the time of the collision. His Toyota Fortuner was identified using CCTV footage and parts of the vehicle were allegedly found at the scene. Singh had lived in Ilford in east London 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. After serving as a torchbearer at the London 2012 Olympics aged 101, he retired.
The Independent
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Independent
Tributes paid to world's oldest marathon runner, aged 114
Fauja Singh, believed to be the world's oldest marathon runner, has died aged 114 after being hit by a car in his birth village of Beas Pind, Punjab. Born in April 1911, he took up running at 89 in 2000, completing his first marathon and quickly rising to fame by setting multiple age-group records. Known as the Turbaned Tornado, Mr Singh became the first centenarian to run a marathon and retired from the sport at 101, having also been a torchbearer for the London 2012 Olympics. His death was confirmed by his London-based running club, Sikhs In The City, which plans to dedicate future events to his life and achievements. Mr Singh was described by his coach Harmander Singh, as an 'icon of humanity and powerhouse of positivity' while local MP Preet Kaur Gill called him a 'truly inspiring man'.
BBC News
4 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Fauja Singh, world's 'oldest' marathon runner, dies at 114 in hit-and-run crash
Fauja Singh, a British-Indian man believed to be the world's oldest marathon runner, has died in a road accident at the age of a global icon who was once featured in an Adidas advertising campaign, began running when he was 89 years old. He ran nine full marathons between 2000 and 2013, when he say Singh was walking in his village in the Indian state of Punjab when an unidentified vehicle hit him. Locals took him to the hospital, where he died."A search is under way, and the accused will be caught soon," said Harvinder Singh, a top district police officer. As news of his death broke, tributes poured Prime Minister Narendra Modi called him an "exceptional athlete with incredible determination". Singh's running club in London, Sikhs in the City, said events they would celebrate his success and achievements through their upcoming the BBC met Singh in June in Beas Pind village, he was agile and active, walking several miles every day."I still go for walks around the village to keep my legs strong. A person has to take care of his own body," he said.A torchbearer for the 2012 London Olympics, Singh clocked several milestones during his running career, including reportedly becoming the first centenarian to complete a full marathon in 2011 in Toronto. However, his claim of being the world's oldest marathon runner was not recognised by the Guinness World Records as he could not show a birth certificate from 1911. The BBC reported at the time that Singh's British passport showed his date of birth as being 1 April 1911, and that he had a letter from the Queen congratulating him on his 100th birthday. His trainer, Harmander Singh, said that birth certificates were not made in India at the time Singh was World Records officials said they would have loved "to give him the record", but that they could only "accept official birth documents created in the year of the birth".As a young boy growing up in Punjab, Singh was teased by people in his village as his legs were weak and he could not walk properly until the age of five."But the same boy, once mocked for his weakness, went on to make history," he told BBC Punjabi in he turned 40, Singh, a farmer, had lived through the turbulence of both the World Wars and experienced the trauma of Partition. "In my youth, I didn't even know the word 'marathon' existed," Singh told BBC Punjabi. "I never went to school, nor was I involved in any kind of sports. I was a farmer and spent most of my life in the fields."He first took to running to cope with the death of his wife Gian Kaur in the early 1990s, he moved to London to live with his eldest son Sukhjinder. But during a visit to India, he witnessed his younger son Kuldeep's death in a gruesome accident which left him by grief, Singh would spend hours sitting near the spot where his son had been cremated. Concerned villagers advised his family to take him back to the in Ilford in London, during one of his visits to the gurdwara, Singh met a group of elderly men who would go on runs together. He also met Harmander Singh, who would go on to become his coach."Had I not met Harmander Singh, I wouldn't have gotten into marathon running," he said in June. Singh made his debut at the London Marathon in 2000, a month shy of turning 89. He participated through a Golden Bond entry - a system where charities pre-purchase a fixed number of spots for a fee. He chose to run for BLISS, a charity that supports premature infants. His tagline: "Oldest running for the youngest! May they live as long as him."Singh says that before the run, he was told by event officials that he could only wear a patka (headgear worn by many Sikh boys and men) and not a turban."I refused to run without my turban. Eventually, the organisers allowed me to run with it, and for me, that's my biggest achievement," he finished the race in six hours and 54 minutes, marking the beginning of a remarkable his third successive appearance at the London marathon, he had shaved off nine minutes from his previous 2003, at the Toronto Waterfront Marathon, he bettered his timing by an astonishing one hour and five minutes, completing the race in five hours and 40 minutes."I don't remember my timings; it is my coach, Harmander Singh, who keeps the record of all my timings. But whatever I have achieved is all because of his training, and I sincerely followed his schedule," Singh said in June."In London, he used to make me run uphill, and because of that, I kept on improving," he added. "Almost after every training session in London, I used to go to the gurdwara, where my diet was taken care of. Everyone there motivated me to run long distances."Singh shot to international fame in 2003 when Adidas signed him for their Nothing Is Impossible advertising campaign which also featured legends such as Muhammad 2005, he was invited by the then Prime Minister of Pakistan to participate in the inaugural Lahore Marathon. A year later, in 2006, he received a special invitation from Queen Elizabeth II to visit Buckingham the many mementos and certificates displayed at Singh's home in Punjab is a framed photograph of him with the Queen. He continued to compete in marathons well into his 100s and earned the nickname 'Turbaned Tornado'. Most of his earnings from endorsements went directly to charitable foundations."I was the same Fauja Singh before I entered the world of running - but running gave my life a mission and brought me global recognition," he 2013, he participated in his last long-distance competitive race in Hong Kong, completing a 10km run in one hour, 32 minutes and 28 credited his health and longevity to a simple lifestyle and disciplined diet. "Eating less, running more, and staying happy - that is the secret behind my longevity. This is my message to everyone," he said in his final years, Singh divided his time between India, where his younger son lives, and the UK. When the BBC met him in June, he was hoping to visit London again soon to meet his family there and MP Preet Kaur Gill, shared a photo of herself with him on X, writing: "A truly inspiring man. His discipline, simple living, and deep humility left a lasting mark on me."Additional reporting by from Pardeep Sharma
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Fauja Singh: British runner - believed to be world's oldest to complete a marathon - killed in road accident
A British runner, believed to be the oldest in the world to complete a marathon, has died in a road accident aged 114. 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." Read more UK news: Jas Athwal described Singh as "a global Sikh icon that inspired millions across the world". Singh credited his long life to a diet of ginger curries and regular meditation.
