World’s oldest marathon runner, who competed in Surrey, hit and killed in India

An Indian man known as the oldest person to complete a full marathon has died after being struck by a vehicle.

Fauja Singh came to Surrey in 2012, where he has relatives, and ran a five-kilometre race. He would have been 101 years old at the time.

Singh said he was born in 1911, making him 114 at the time of his death.

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He only began running at age 89 and completed the Toronto Waterfront Marathon when he was 100 years old.

Singh was not running when he was killed. He was walking on a road near his hometown in northwestern India.

Global News had spoken to Singh in Surrey, who said he ran and walked five hours a day. He finished the Surrey five-kilometre race in only 40 minutes.

Harmander Singh, Singh’s running coach in the U.K.-based Sikhs in the City, posted on Facebook that “His running club and charity Sikhs In The City will be devoting all of its events until the Fauja Singh Birthday Challenge on Sunday 29 March 2026 to celebrate his life of success and achievements.

“We will be doubling the efforts to raise funds to build the Fauja Singh Clubhouse on the route in Ilford where he used to train.”