17 Facts About Fauja Singh

Fauja Singh is a British Sikh and retired marathon runner of Punjabi Indian descent.

Fauja Singh has beaten a number of world records in multiple age brackets, but none of his times have been ratified as records.

Fauja Singh claims to have been born in Beas Pind, Jalandhar, Punjab, British India on 1 April 1911, the youngest of four children.

Fauja Singh's legs were thin and weak, and he could hardly walk long distances.

Fauja Singh emigrated to England in the 1990s and lives with one of his sons in Ilford.

Fauja Singh ran his first race, the London Marathon, in 2000.

At the age of 93, Fauja Singh completed a marathon in 6 hours and 54 minutes, 58 minutes quicker than the world best for the 90-plus age bracket.

At the age of 100, 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.

Three days later, on 16 October 2011, Fauja Singh was claimed to have become the first 100-year-old to finish a marathon, completing the Toronto Waterfront Marathon in 8:11:06.

Fauja Singh's 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.

In 2012, Fauja Singh participated as a special guest for the 2nd Annual Chardikala Run in Malaysia.

Fauja Singh was presented with The BrandLaureate Award on stage during the closing ceremony.

Fauja Singh is the eldest of a group of Sikhs who call themselves "Sikhs in the City".

Fauja Singh attended an election rally at village Kukranwala under the Raja Sansi constituency for the People's Party of Punjab candidate, where he was reported to have extended his support for the party.

On 13 November 2003, Fauja Singh was awarded the Ellis Island Medal of Honor by the National Ethnic Coalition, a US group that advocates ethnic pride and tolerance.

Fauja Singh was awarded the "Pride of India" title by a UK-based organisation for his achievements in 2011.

Fauja Singh was awarded the British Empire Medal in the 2015 New Year Honours for services to sport and charity.