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Speaking about the marathon, he said: "The first 20 miles are not difficult. As for last six miles, I run while talking to God."<ref name="express2004" />
Speaking about the marathon, he said: "The first 20 miles are not difficult. As for last six miles, I run while talking to God."<ref name="express2004" />


=="Controversy"==
==Controversy==
Since there has been nothing produced to verify his birthdate and he came upon the senior marathon circuit as a complete unknown, there is some speculation Singh is as much as 25 years younger than he states.
Since there has been nothing produced to verify his birthdate and he came upon the senior marathon circuit as a complete unknown, there is some speculation Fauja Singh is as much as 25 to 30 years younger than he states. DNA tests will be able to show his biological age, if he agrees to supply a sample. Otherwise, there currently are plans to wait until his death to either obtain a DNA sample, or erase his records from most events he has purportedly set records in.

=="Sikhs in the City"==
=="Sikhs in the City"==
He is the eldest of a group of Sikhs that call themselves "Sikhs in the City", formed over 10 years ago. There are three other Sikhs, aged 79, 79 and 80, in the "Golden Oldies" Team, which ran the Edinburgh Marathon relay in 2009.<ref name=Potter>{{cite news | first=Laura | last=Potter| cite news | title = Glad to be grey | date = 20 June 2009 | url = http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2009/jun/20/fauja-singh-marathon-runners | work = [[The Guardian]] | accessdate = 2012-02-14}}</ref> 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.
He is the eldest of a group of Sikhs that call themselves "Sikhs in the City", formed over 10 years ago. There are three other Sikhs, aged 79, 79 and 80, in the "Golden Oldies" Team, which ran the Edinburgh Marathon relay in 2009.<ref name=Potter>{{cite news | first=Laura | last=Potter| cite news | title = Glad to be grey | date = 20 June 2009 | url = http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2009/jun/20/fauja-singh-marathon-runners | work = [[The Guardian]] | accessdate = 2012-02-14}}</ref> 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.

Revision as of 15:47, 26 November 2012

For anti-Nirankari protester, see Bhai Fauja Singh.
Fauja Singh
Fauja Singh (2007)
Born (1911-04-01) 1 April 1911 (age 113)
Beas Pind, Jalandhar, Punjab, British India
OccupationMarathon runner

Fauja Singh (Punjabi: ਫੌਜਾ ਸਿੰਘ) (born 1 April 1911, unverified) is a British centenarian marathon runner of Punjabi Sikh origin. 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,[1] and his marathon record, for age 90-plus, is 5 hours 40 minutes, at the age of 92, at the 2003 Toronto Waterfront Marathon.[2][3]

Singh has stated, "I won't stop running until I die. The next target, God willing, is to be the oldest marathon runner ever."[4] and, "At the time when people start retiring, I thought of running at the age of 63...and today I won the marathon at 93 years of age."[citation needed]

In 2004, Singh was featured in an advertising campaign for sportswear manufacturer Adidas alongside David Beckham and Muhammad Ali.[5][6]

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.[7][8][9]

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,[10] 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.[11]

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.[12] 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.[13] 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,[14] however it is claimed that records written in Urdu date back to 23 February 1879.[15] 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.[16]

In October 2011, Singh, a vegetarian, became the oldest man to be featured in a PETA campaign.[17] In July 2012, Fauja Singh carried the Olympic torch.[18]

Biography

Fauja Singh was born in Beas Pind, Jalandhar, Punjab, British India on 1 April 1911 (unverified). Not much is known about his early life. He lived with his wife in his village in Jalandhar, and moved to London in 1992 to live with his son after his wife’s death. He speaks only Punjabi and cannot read or write.[2][19] The death of his son Kuldip and earlier of his wife forced him to search for a worthwhile alternative in life. Fauja's jogging skills were developed on an Indian farm in Punjab, and then at the age of 81, after moving to the UK, his love for the sport became more "serious".[1] In London, he started running by challenging other old-agers to race him. Gradually he moved on to longer distances.

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 dress. Singh ran his first race, the London Marathon, in 2000.[19] 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.[20]

Singh shot to fame when, at the age of 89, he completed the gruelling 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.[2]

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.[21] 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 as I don’t want all those negative thoughts crossing my mind."[2]

Speaking about the marathon, he said: "The first 20 miles are not difficult. As for last six miles, I run while talking to God."[2]

Controversy

Since there has been nothing produced to verify his birthdate and he came upon the senior marathon circuit as a complete unknown, there is some speculation Fauja Singh is as much as 25 to 30 years younger than he states. DNA tests will be able to show his biological age, if he agrees to supply a sample. Otherwise, there currently are plans to wait until his death to either obtain a DNA sample, or erase his records from most events he has purportedly set records in.

"Sikhs in the City"

He is the eldest of a group of Sikhs that call themselves "Sikhs in the City", formed over 10 years ago. There are three other Sikhs, aged 79, 79 and 80, in the "Golden Oldies" Team, which ran the Edinburgh Marathon relay in 2009.[4] 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.[19][22]

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)[23]

Awards

On 13 November 2003, Singh was awarded the Ellis Island Medal of Honor by the National Ethnic Coalition Organization, 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.[24] He was awarded the "Pride of India" title by a UK-based organisation for his achievements in 2011.[25]

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.[26] 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".[27]

Quotations

  • "I run while talking to God." [2]

References

  1. ^ a b Ashenden, Mark (30 June 2005). "Life Begins at 90". BBC News. Retrieved 16 October 2011.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Rana, Vijay (19 April 2004). "At 93, Adidas Marathon man Fauja runs with god as partner". Indian Express. Retrieved 18 October 2011. I run while talking to God.
  3. ^ "Runner, 94, finishes capital race". BBC News. Retrieved 16 October 2011.
  4. ^ a b Potter, Laura (20 June 2009). "Glad to be grey". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 February 2012. {{cite news}}: Text "cite news" ignored (help)
  5. ^ "The secret of the world's oldest marathon runner". The Guardian. 19 October 2011. Retrieved 14 February 2012.
  6. ^ "The new face of adidas, 93". London Evening Standard. 30 March 2004. Retrieved 14 February 2012.
  7. ^ "The Real Singh, the Real King (Fauja Singh)". Curry Bear. April 2010. Retrieved 16 October 2011.
  8. ^ "94 year old breaks 5 records within 94 minutes". British Masters Athletic Federation. Retrieved 16 October 2011.
  9. ^ "Who Are The Oldest People On Our Planet? And, Why Are They That Healthy?". Diabetes Diet Dialogue. 14 July 2007. Retrieved 16 October 2011.
  10. ^ "M100 Indian sets 8 world records in succession? Check ID first". Masterstrack.com. Retrieved 16 October 2011.
  11. ^ "100 Year Old Fauja Singh Sets EIGHT World Records In A Row". Ontario Masters Athletics. 13 October 2011. Retrieved 16 October 2011.
  12. ^ "Another marathon milestone for centenarian". The Tribune. 17 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2011.
  13. ^ "Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon". Sport Stats. 16 October 2011. Retrieved 16 October 2011.
  14. ^ Associated Press (24 October 2011). "Fauja Singh, 100, won't make Guinness". ESPN.com. Retrieved 24 October 2011.
  15. ^ ExpressIndia (30 March 2009). "Old birth and death records find new room". ExpressIndia.com. Retrieved 15 August 2012.
  16. ^ http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2011/10/24/fauja-singh-marathon-no-record_n_1028410.html?ir=UK
  17. ^ "100-year-old marathoner Fauja Singh becomes PETA's poster boy". The Times of India. 21 October 2011.
  18. ^ "Fauja Singh, 101, dazzles in Olympic Torch relay". 21 July 2012.
  19. ^ a b c "Fauja Singh: Marathoner, poster boy, 100 yrs old". NDTV. Fri 8 Jul 2011. Retrieved 2011-10-18. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  20. ^ Carney, John (3 February 2012). "Marathon man, 100, takes challenges in his stride". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 14 February 2012.
  21. ^ Johnston, Lauren (17 October 2011). "100-year-old Fauja Singh sets world record: Oldest runner to complete a marathon". NY Daily News. Retrieved 18 October 2011.
  22. ^ "100-year old Sikh marathoner's biography released in Britain". Indian Express. Fri 8 Jul 2011. Retrieved 2011-10-18. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  23. ^ Nikolas, Katerina (6 February 2012). "Oldest marathon runner 'Turbaned Torpedo' runs in HK marathon". Digital Journal. Retrieved 14 February 2012.
  24. ^ Osama Jeers Didn't Stop Sikh Marathon Man, 92, by Austin Fenner Daily News (New York), Friday, 14 November 2003
  25. ^ "Centenarian Fauja Singh does it again". The Times of India. 5 February 2012. Retrieved 14 February 2012.
  26. ^ "Fauja Singh runs for PPP". Indian Express. 24 January 2012. Retrieved 14 February 2012.
  27. ^ "100-year-old marathoner's family miffed with political party". NDTV. 25 January 2012. Retrieved 14 February 2012.

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