The British Sikh marathon runner Fauja Singh, who has died aged 114 in a traffic accident, became known globally as the “Turbaned Tornado”. He was the first person over the age of 100 to complete a marathon when he ran the Toronto waterfront marathon in 2011. This achievement was not officially recognised by Guinness World Records as Fauja did not have a birth certificate, but his feat captured international attention.
His love for running came late in life when, at the age of 89, after seeing people running on television, he decided to give it a go. He ran his first marathon in London in 2000. He was deeply committed to charitable causes, and saw running as a spiritual act of Sewa (selfless service).
