Fauja Singh facts for kids
Singh in 2013
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Turbaned Tornado Running Baba Sikh Superman |
| Nationality | British |
| Born | 1 April 1911 (claimed) Beas Pind, Punjab Province, British India |
| Died | 14 July 2025 (aged 114) Beas Pind, Punjab, India |
| Years active | 2000–2013 |
| Height | 1.72 m |
| Weight | 53 kilograms (117 lb) |
| Sport | |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sport | Marathon |
| Retired | 24 February 2013 |
| Updated on 20 April 2023. | |
Fauja Singh (Punjabi: ਫੌਜਾ ਸਿੰਘ) was an amazing British Sikh marathon runner. He became famous for his incredible achievements in running, especially as he got older. He set many world records for different age groups, even though some of his amazing times weren't officially recognized.
His best time for the London Marathon in 2003 was 6 hours and 2 minutes. He also ran a marathon in 5 hours and 40 minutes at the 2003 Toronto Waterfront Marathon, when he was said to be 92 years old!
Contents
The Inspiring Life of Fauja Singh
Early Years and Challenges
Fauja Singh Dhindsa was born in Beas Pind, Jalandhar, in a region called Punjab in what was then British India. He was born on April 1, 1911. He was the youngest of four children.
Fauja Singh didn't start walking until he was five years old. His legs were quite thin and weak. Because of this, he found it hard to walk long distances. People sometimes teased him and called him "danda," which means "stick" in Punjabi.
As a young man, Singh loved to run for fun. However, he stopped running for a long time when there were big changes happening in his country.
Finding a New Passion for Running
After experiencing great sadness in his life, Fauja Singh decided to return to his love for running in 1995. He had moved to England in the 1990s and lived with one of his sons.
When he was 89 years old, Singh started training seriously for international marathon events. When he first showed up for training, he was wearing a formal suit! His coach helped him get the right running clothes and taught him how to train properly.
Singh ran his first London Marathon in the year 2000. At first, he thought a marathon was only 26 kilometers, not 26 miles (about 42 kilometers)! Once he realized how long it really was, he trained even harder.
Breaking Records and Inspiring Many
When he was 93, Singh finished a marathon in 6 hours and 54 minutes. This was 58 minutes faster than the best time for runners over 90 years old!
In 2004, he became famous and was even featured in an advertisement for the sports company Adidas. He appeared alongside famous athletes like David Beckham and Muhammad Ali.
Singh also set amazing times for shorter races in the UK, like the 200 meters, 400 meters, 800 meters, mile, and 3000 meters. He did all of these within just 94 minutes! Even though these times weren't officially recognized as records, they showed how incredibly fast he was for his age.
When he turned 100, Singh achieved eight world age group records in a single day! This special event was held in Toronto, Canada. He ran distances from 100 meters all the way up to 5000 meters. For some of these races, no one over 100 years old had ever tried to run them before, so he set the very first records!
Just three days later, on October 16, 2011, Singh became the first 100-year-old person to complete a full marathon. He finished the Toronto Waterfront Marathon in 8 hours, 11 minutes, and 6 seconds.
A book about his inspiring life, called Turbaned Tornado, was released in England in 2011. It tells the story of his amazing journey.
In 2011, Singh, who was a vegetarian, also became the oldest person to be part of a campaign for PETA, an organization that supports animal rights.
In 2012, he was a special guest at a run in Malaysia. That same year, he had the honor of carrying the Olympic torch for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.
After running the Hong Kong marathon on February 24, 2013, Fauja Singh announced he would retire from competitive running. He completed the 10-kilometer race in 1 hour, 32 minutes, and 28 seconds. Even after retiring, he still loved to cheer on other marathon runners at events.
Fauja Singh's Healthy Lifestyle
Fauja Singh was about 1.72 meters (5 feet 8 inches) tall and weighed around 52 kilograms (115 pounds). He followed a simple vegetarian diet.
He once said, "I am very careful about different foods. My diet is simple phulka (a type of flatbread), dal (lentils), green vegetables, yogurt, and milk. I do not eat parathas, pakoras, rice, or any other fried food. I drink lots of water and tea with ginger."
He also shared his secret to running marathons: "The first 20 miles are not difficult. As for the last six miles, I run while talking to God."
Passing of a Legend
Fauja Singh passed away yesterday, on July 14, 2025, after being hit by a vehicle while crossing a road in his home village of Beas Pind, Jalandhar. He lived an incredibly long and inspiring life.
Sikhs in the City Running Group
Fauja Singh was the oldest member of a running group called "Sikhs in the City." This group includes other older Sikh runners. They are a well-known team based in East London. They run marathons around the world with different faith groups and raise money for charities that Fauja Singh supported.
Awards and Recognition
Fauja Singh received many special awards for his achievements and for being an inspiration to others.
On November 13, 2003, he was given the Ellis Island Medal of Honor in the United States. This award celebrates people who show pride in their heritage and promote understanding between different groups. The chairman of the group that gave him the award said Singh was a symbol of how people from all backgrounds can achieve great things. He was the first non-American to receive this honor.
In 2011, a UK-based organization gave him the "Pride of India" title for his amazing accomplishments.
In July 2012, he had the special role of carrying the Olympic torch, which is a great honor for athletes and inspiring people.
Fauja Singh was also awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) in 2015. This is an important award from the United Kingdom given for services to sport and charity.
Fauja Singh's Running Achievements
Here are some of the marathons and races Fauja Singh completed:
- Marathons run: London (6), Toronto (2), New York (1)
- London Marathon 2000: 6 hours, 54 minutes
- London Marathon 2001: 6 hours, 54 minutes
- London Marathon 2002: 6 hours, 45 minutes
- Great North Run (Half Marathon) 2002: 2 hours, 39 minutes
- London Marathon 2003: 6 hours, 2 minutes
- Toronto Waterfront Marathon 2003: 5 hours, 40 minutes (his personal best marathon time)
- New York City Marathon 2003: 7 hours, 35 minutes
- London Marathon 2004: 6 hours, 7 minutes
- Glasgow City Half Marathon 2004: 2 hours, 33 minutes
- Capital Radio Help a London Child 10,000 meters 2004: 1 hour, 8 minutes
- Toronto Waterfront Half Marathon 2004: 2 hours, 29 minutes, 59 seconds
- Toronto Waterfront Marathon 2011: 8 hours, 11 minutes, 0 seconds
- London Marathon 2012: 7 hours, 49 minutes, 21 seconds
- Hong Kong Marathon (10 kilometers) 2012: 1 hour, 34 minutes (he raised $25,800 for charity)
- UK Parkrun 2012 – Age graded record holder: 179.04% with a time of 38 minutes, 34 seconds
- Hong Kong Marathon (10 kilometers) 2013: 1 hour, 32 minutes, 28 seconds
