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Rediff.com  » Sports » At 101, Fauja Singh crosses the finish line one last time
This article was first published 11 years ago

At 101, Fauja Singh crosses the finish line one last time

Last updated on: February 24, 2013 16:43 IST

Image: British Indian marathon runner Fauja Singh (centre), 101, carrying a Hong Kong flag, and accompanied Indian runners
Photographs: Bobby Yip/Reuters

The Hong Kong marathon featured a 10 kilometre race which was completed by 101-year-old Indian-born Fauja Singh, the world's oldest marathon runner, who retired from running after clocking a time of 1:32:28.

'The adulation keeps me motivated'

Image: Fauja Singh jogs during a practise at a park in Hong Kong
Photographs: Bobby Yip/Reuters

Fauja Singh, also ran in the 10th Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon. It was his first and last appearance in the city.

-At 100, tea and ginger curry drives Fauja's run

Singh, who lives in London, will ran the 4.3 km event for senior citizens.

"I am enjoying it. The adulation keeps me motivated," he had said.

'Turbaned Tornado'

Image: Fauja Singh
Photographs: Bobby Yip/Reuters

The great-great-grandfather said he has "mixed feelings" about retirement.

Known as 'Turbaned Tornado', Singh took up the sport when he was in his eighties after moving to London.

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'My son has been my source of inspiration'

Image: Fauja Singh (right) jogs with his coach Harmander Singh
Photographs: Bobby Yip/Reuters

"My son, who lives in England, has been my source of inspiration. We were seeing a marathon once and I wondered why the people were running aimlessly....

"I decided to run my first 20 kms in the London Marathon in 1992 under the training of my coach Harmander Singh. Today, I view life differently," he added.

'The secret to a long and healthy life is to be stress-free'

Image: Fauja Singh
Photographs: Bobby Yip/Reuters

Singh, who was a farmer in Punjab before settling in England, has competed in nine 42-kilometre marathons in London, Toronto and New York.

"If someone says I must stop running I ignore them -- invariably they're younger than me. The secret to a long and healthy life is to be stress-free."

'Stay away from people who are negative'

Image: Fauja Singh
Photographs: Reuters

Fauja Singh became the oldest man to run a full marathon at Toronto in the year 2011. But his record was not recognized by Guinness World Records because he doesn't have a birth certificate to prove his age, only a passport.

"If there's something you can't change then why worry about it? Be grateful for everything you have, stay away from people who are negative, stay smiling and keep running," he was quoted as saying.

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