The world's oldest marathon runner, 114-year-old Fauj Singh, has died after a road accident in India, CNN reported.
Singh was hit by a car while crossing the road near his home. The man was taken to hospital, but his injuries from the crash proved fatal. Police are searching for the culprit in the accident.
It is believed that Singh was born in India in 1911. He could not walk until the age of five due to weakness in his legs and for many years did not even think about running. He fell in love with marathons only at the age of 89. By that time, he had lost his wife and son and had moved to London.
“Running brought me back to life, making me forget all my aches and pains,“ he explained.
Singh ran his first marathon in 2000. Three years later, he set a personal best of 5 hours and 40 minutes. In 2011, he became the first centenarian in history to complete a marathon. In 2012, Singh was honored to carry the Olympic flame at the London Games. A year later, at the age of 101, he ended his sports career.
Although the centenarian's achievements were recognized, he was never included in the Guinness Book of Records, as he does not have a birth certificate.