Canadian-based man charged in hit-and-run of world’s oldest marathon runner, Fauja Singh

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      Punjab police have confirmed a Canadian-based man has been charged and arrested in the fatal hit-and-run of Fauja Singh, who was believed to be the world’s oldest marathon runner.

      By Dorsa Delara, OMNI News

      Punjab police have confirmed a Canadian-based man has been charged and arrested in the fatal hit-and-run of Fauja Singh, who was believed to be the world’s oldest marathon runner.

      Singh, who was 114 years old at the time of his death, was struck by a vehicle on Monday in his native village of Beas, India and died at a local hospital.

      The accused, 26-year-old Amritpal Singh Dhillon, is a Canadian-based man and remains in custody. Dhillon lives in Canada with his mother and sisters and holds a work permit until 2027. He travelled to India on June 23.

      Singh garnered world attention in 2011, when he made headlines for his competitive running at 100-years-old. He was recorded by the Olympics as the first centenarian and oldest man to complete a full marathon, and in that same year, he completed the Toronto Waterfront Marathon. Nicknamed, “Turbaned Tornado,” Singh was the torchbearer for the London 2012 Olympics.  

      But Singh was an amateur runner in his youth and only began to run competitively at the age of 89 years-old.

      “I was never a runner,” Singh said in a 2011 interview with OMNI News, “All I used to do was farming so I could feed my kids.”

      He ran several marathons between the years of 2000 and 2013, when he eventually retired. Communities around the world remembered Singh’s message of health and perseverance, including Brampton Marathon.

      “Fauja Singh was more than a runner, he was a movement,” the statement read, “His story reminded us and the world that it’s never too late to take a meaningful first step.”

      Singh decided to pursue running after his wife and son abruptly died. He was originally from India but later immigrated to England where he said his life took a turn, defining it as a “reincarnation.”

      In an interview with OMNI News, Singh revealed running didn’t always come easily. In fact, Singh said his parents used to worry about his ability to walk as a child.

      “My parents got me treated and I started walking at the age of five. Even after that, I could not do long walks. It was at the age of 15, when I felt a little strength in my legs,” Singh said in 2011, before setting his record in Toronto.

      Despite his accomplishments, Singh was never inducted into the Guinness Book of World Records because he did not have a birth certificate, and his age could not be verified. India has stated birth certificates were not kept in 1911. 

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