Fauja Singh
Nickname(s)
Turbaned Tornado
Running Baba
Sikh Superman[1]
Nationality
British
Born
1 April 1911 (age 103)
Beas Pind , Jalandhar
Punjab , British India
Residence
United Kingdom
Years active
2000 – 2013
Height
1.72 m (5 ft 8 in)
Weight
53 kilograms (117 lb)
Sport
Country
United Kingdom
Sport
Marathon
Retired
24 February 2013 [2][3]
Updated on 26 January 2013.
Fauja Singh (Punjabi : ਫੌਜਾ ਸਿੰਘ, born 1 April 1911) is a
British centenarian marathon runner of Punjabi
Sikh descent. He is a world record holder in his
age bracket. His current personal best time for the
London Marathon (2003) is 6 hours 2 minutes, [4]
and his marathon record, for age 90-plus, is 5
hours 40 minutes at the age of 92, at the 2003
Toronto Waterfront Marathon . [5][6]
In 2004, Singh was featured in an advertising
campaign for sportswear manufacturer Adidas
alongside David Beckham and Muhammad Ali . [7]
[8]
Singh holds UK records for the 200 m, 400 m, 800
m, mile and 3000 m for his age group, records all
set within a single 94 minute period. [9][10][11] At
the age of 100 (and a half), Singh attempted and
accomplished eight world age group records in one
day, at the special Ontario Masters Association
Fauja Singh Invitational Meet, held at Birchmount
Stadium in Toronto, Ontario Canada. Timed by
officials in Canada, [12] He ran the 100 metres in
23.14, 200 metres in 52.23, the 400 metres in
2:13.48, the 800 metres in 5:32.18, the 1500
metres in 11:27.81, the mile in 11:53.45, the 3000
metres in 24:52.47 and the 5000 metres in
49:57.39, setting five world records for his age
group in one day. Each time bested the previous
record in that age division (some events had no
previous record holder, as nobody over age 100
had ever attempted the distance). Some of his
marks are significantly superior to the listed world
record in the M95 age group as well. [13]
Three days later, on 16 October 2011, Singh
became the first 100-year-old to finish a
marathon, completing the Toronto Waterfront
Marathon in 8:11:06. [14] As it took him over 14
minutes after the gun to cross the starting line, the
official time submitted for the age group record will
be 8:25:17. [15] However, Guinness World Records
refused to include Singh in its record book due to
the fact that he could not produce his birth
certificate to prove his age. Birth records were not
kept in India in 1911, [16] however it is claimed
that records written in Urdu date back to 23
February 1879. [17] He was able to produce a
passport listing his date of birth as 1 April 1911,
and a letter from Queen Elizabeth II congratulating
him on his 100th birthday. [18]
In October 2011, Singh, a vegan, became the
oldest man to be featured in a PETA campaign. [19]
In July 2012, Fauja Singh carried the Olympic
torch. [20]
Singh had stated that he would retire from
competitive running after taking part in the Hong
Kong marathon on 24 February 2013 (just 5 weeks
shy of his 102nd birthday). [2] He successfully
completed the 10 kilometre run at the Hong Kong
marathon in 1 hour 32 minutes and 28 seconds, [3]
and fully intends to continue running for pleasure,
health and charity.
Biography
Fauja Singh was born in Beas Pind , Jalandhar ,
Punjab , British India on 1 April 1911, [5] the
youngest of four children. Fauja did not develop
the ability to walk until he was five years old. His
legs were thin and weak, and he could hardly walk
long distances. Because of this, he was often
teased, and had to carry the nickname
"danda" (Punjabi : दण्ड) for the next ten years. As a
young man, Fauja was an avid amateur runner, but
he gave it up at the time of the 1947 India-
Pakistan Partition.
It was only after witnessing the death of his fifth
son, Kuldip, in a construction accident in August
1994, that Fauja returned to his passion for
running, in 1995. The deaths of his wife in 1992,
and his eldest daughter who had died from
complications after giving birth to his third
granddaughter, gave him the determination for this
new focus in life. [1] He emigrated to England in the
1990s and lives with one of his sons in Ilford . [21]
At 89 years, he took seriously to running and
ended up in international marathon events. When
he first turned up for training at Redbridge, Essex,
he was dressed in a three-piece suit. The coach
had to rework everything, including his attire.
Singh ran his first race, the London Marathon , in
2000. [22] According to his coach, he used to run
up to 20 kilometres easily and wanted to run a
marathon, thinking it to be just 26 kilometres and
not 26 miles (42 kilometres). It was after he
realised this that he began training seriously. [23]
Singh shot to fame when, at the age of 93, he
completed the 26.2 mile distance in 6 hours and
54 minutes. This knocked 58 minutes off the
previous world best for anyone in the 90-plus age
bracket. [5]
Singh is 172 cm (5 ft 8 in) tall and weighs 52 kg
(115 lb). He attributes his physical fitness and
longevity to abstaining from smoking and alcohol
and to following a simple vegetarian diet. [24] He
has been quoted as saying "I am very careful
about different foods. My diet is simple phulka , dal ,
green vegetables, yogurt and milk. I do not touch
parathas, pakoras , rice or any other fried food. I
take lots of water and tea with ginger . ... I go to
bed early taking the name of my Rabba (God) as I
don’t want all those negative thoughts crossing my
mind." [5]
Speaking about the marathon, he said: "The first
20 miles are not difficult. As for last six miles, I
run while talking to God." [5]
"Sikhs in the City"
He is the eldest of a group of Sikhs who call
themselves "Sikhs in the City", formed over 10
years ago. There were three other Sikhs, aged 79,
79 and 80, in the "Golden Oldies" team which ran
the Edinburgh Marathon relay in 2009. [25] The
SITC running group are a now a well-established
team based in East London, running marathons
across the world with interfaith groups and raising
money for Fauja Singh's charities.
Turbaned Tornado
His biography, titled "Turbaned Tornado", was
formally released in the Attlee Room of Britain's
House of Lords on 7 July 2011 by Lord Anthony
Young of Norwood Green and retired British Crown
Court judge Sir Mota Singh. The 114-page book,
penned by Chandigarh-based columnist and writer
Khushwant Singh (not to be confused with
Khushwant Singh , the prominent Indian novelist
and journalist), traces the runner's roots and tries
to capture his life's journey, including the impact of
Fauja on the world around him. [22][26]
Achievements
Running Career
Rediscovered at age of 81
Marathons run: London (5), Toronto (2), New
York (1)
Marathon debut: London, 2000, aged 89
London Flora Marathon 2000: 6:54
London Flora Marathon 2001: 6:54
London Flora Marathon 2002: 6:45
Bupa Great North Run (Half Marathon) 2002:
2:39
London Flora Marathon 2003: 6:02
Toronto Waterfront Marathon 2003: 5:40
New York City Marathon 2003: 7:35
London Flora Marathon 2004: 6:07
Glasgow City Half Marathon 2004: 2:33
Capital Radio Help a London Child 10,000 m
2004: 1:08
Toronto Waterfront Half Marathon 2004: 2:29:59
Toronto Waterfront Marathon 2011: 8:11:06
Hong Kong Marathon (10 km) 2012: 1:34
(raised $25,800 for charity)[27]
Hong Kong Marathon (10 km) 2013:
1:32:28 [28]
Awards
On 13 November 2003, Singh was awarded the
Ellis Island Medal of Honor by the National Ethnic
Coalition , a group that advocates ethnic pride and
tolerance. William Fugazy, the chairman of the
coalition, said Singh is a symbol of racial
tolerance, and his running helps bridge the gap
created by the 11 September terrorist attacks . "He
is the greatest inspiration," said Fugazy, and added
that Singh was the first non-American to receive
the honour. [29] He was awarded the "Pride of
India" title by a UK-based organisation for his
achievements in 2011. [30]
Punjab elections 2012
He attended an election rally at village Kukranwala
under the Raja Sansi constituency (near Amritsar)
for the Punjab People's Party candidate, where he
was reported to have extended his support for the
party. [31] However, the party was criticized by
Sikhs in the City for the "misuse of Fauja Singh for
political purposes", and for having "abused the
vulnerability of an old man for its own ends". [32]
Chardikala Run 2012
Fauja Singh was invited as a special guest for the
2nd Annual Chardikala Run in Malaysia. The run
was given a theme '101 and running' as a mark of
respect for Singh. He was given a warm crowd
response and was also presented with The
BrandLaureate Award on stage during the closing
ceremony.
Singh was given a warm response by the people of
Malaysia. He was escorted to the Chardikala
Charitable Fun Run venue, Astaka in Petaling Jaya,
by the Malaysian Bikers Group. Singh flagged off
the start of the Marathon. Fauja Singh's attitude
was praised especially because he had taken part
in the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon on
the same morning, yet was in full spirits meeting,
greeting and being a major part of the successful
CCFR 2012.
References
1. ^ a b Wee, Lea (13 December 2012).
"Running gave him second wind". Straits
Times (Singapore). p. 24.
2. ^ a b "New Delhi Marathon runner Fauja
Singh to retire after one last run"
. 24 January 2013.
3. ^ a b "At 101, Fauja Singh completes his
final marathon"
. Agence France-Presse . 24 February 2013.
Retrieved 24 February 2013.
4. ^ Ashenden, Mark (30 June 2005). "Life
Begins at 90" . BBC News . Retrieved
2011-10-16.
5. ^ a b c d e Rana, Vijay (19 April 2004). "At
93, Adidas Marathon man Fauja runs with
god as partner"
. Indian Express. Retrieved 2011-10-18. "I
run while talking to God."
6. ^ "Runner, 94, finishes capital race" . BBC
News . 12 June 2005. Retrieved 2011-10-16.
7. ^ Iqbal, Nosheen (19 October 2011). "The
secret of the world's oldest marathon runner"
. The Guardian (London). Retrieved
2012-02-14.
8. ^ "The new face of adidas, 93" . London
Evening Standard . 30 March 2004. Retrieved
2012-02-14.
9. ^ "The Real Singh, the Real King (Fauja
Singh)" . Curry Bear . April 2010. Retrieved
2011-10-16.
10. ^ "94 year old breaks 5 records within 94
minutes"
. British Masters Athletic Federation.
Retrieved 2011-10-16.
11. ^ "Who Are The Oldest People On Our Planet?
And, Why Are They That Healthy?"
. Diabetes Diet Dialogue . 14 July 2007.
Retrieved 2011-10-16.
12. ^ "M100 Indian sets 8 world records in
succession? Check ID first"
. Masterstrack.com. Retrieved 2011-10-16.
13. ^ "100 Year Old Fauja Singh Sets EIGHT
World Records In A Row"
. Ontario Masters Athletics. 13 October 2011.
Retrieved 2011-10-16.
14. ^ "Another marathon milestone for
centenarian"
. The Tribune . 17 October 2011. Retrieved
2011-10-18.
15. ^ "Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon" .
Sport Stats. 16 October 2011. Retrieved
2011-10-16.
16. ^ Associated Press (24 October 2011). "Fauja
Singh, 100, won't make Guinness" .
ESPN.com . Retrieved 2011-10-24.
17. ^ ExpressIndia (30 March 2009). "Old birth
and death records find new room" .
ExpressIndia.com . Retrieved 2012-08-15.
18. ^ http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2011/10/24/
fauja-singh-marathon-no-record_n_
1028410.html?ir=UK
19. ^ "100-year-old marathoner Fauja Singh
becomes PETA's poster boy"
. The Times of India. 2011-10-21.
20. ^ "Fauja Singh, 101, dazzles in Olympic
Torch relay"
. The Times Of India . 21 July 2012.
21. ^ Turnbull, Simon (24 February 2013). "Age
catches up with Fauja Singh" . The
Independent (London). Retrieved 22 March
2013.
22. ^ a b "Fauja Singh: Marathoner, poster boy,
100 yrs old"
. NDTV. 8 Jul 2011. Retrieved 2011-10-18.
23. ^ Carney, John (3 February 2012). "Marathon
man, 100, takes challenges in his stride"
. South China Morning Post . Retrieved
2012-02-14.
24. ^ Johnston, Lauren (17 October 2011). "100-
year-old Fauja Singh sets world record:
Oldest runner to complete a marathon"
. NY Daily News (New York). Retrieved
2011-10-18.
25. ^ Potter, Laura (20 June 2009). "Glad to be
grey" . The Guardian (London). Retrieved
2012-02-14.
26. ^ "100-year old Sikh marathoner's biography
released in Britain"
. Indian Express. 8 Jul 2011. Retrieved
2011-10-18.
27. ^ Nikolas, Katerina (6 February 2012). "Oldest
marathon runner 'Turbaned Torpedo' runs in
HK marathon"
. Digital Journal . Retrieved 2012-02-14.
28. ^ http://sports.ndtv.com/othersports/
othersports/item/204074-at-101-fauja-
singh-completes-his-final-marathon?
pfrom=home-otherstories
29. ^ Osama Jeers Didn't Stop Sikh Marathon
Man, 92, by Austin Fenner
Daily News (New York) , Friday, 14 November
2003
30. ^ "Centenarian Fauja Singh does it again" .
The Times of India . 5 February 2012.
Retrieved 2012-02-14.
31. ^ "Fauja Singh runs for PPP" . Indian Express .
24 Jan 2012. Retrieved 2012-02-14.
32. ^ "100-year-old marathoner's family miffed
with political party"
. NDTV. 25 Jan 2012. Retrieved 2012-02-14.
External links
Passage on Fauja Singh, The Oldest Marathon
Runner
(Sikh Personalities)
"Life begins at 90" ( BBC Sport )
Biography in The Sikh Times
REDIFF article regarding ADIDAS deal
Sikhs in the City Running Team
Roll Over Bannister , Article in Outlook magazine
"Fauja Singh Reflection Healthy Living" . Sangat
TV (in Punjabi). 4 February 2011. Retrieved
2011-10-19. "Fauja Singh gives some tips on
how to be healthy, happy and holy."
"Michael Mosley meets 101-year-old Fauja
Singh"
. 6 August 2012. " BBC Horizon 's Michael
Mosley interviews Fauja Singh as he becomes
the world record holder for oldest marathon
runner."
