Fauja Singh Death: What Exactly Happened and How Many Marathons Did He Run?

In tragic news for the running community across the world, legendary marathon runner Fauja Singh died in a road accident at his village, Beas Pind, in Jalandhar. He was 114 years old at the time of his death, and he was hit by an unidentified vehicle at 03:30 PM. Later, at a private hospital, he succumbed to his injuries. Fauja Singh's journey has inspired millions, including those grieving.

Fauja Singh No More: Love for Running, Marathons Ran, and More

Fauja Singh first took up running to get over depression, as most of his family members, including his wife Gian Kaur, had passed away owing to various health reasons. Fauja's initial interest in running as a stress-relieving hobby quickly transformed into a fierce passion. What's even more fascinating to note is that Fauja couldn't walk until he was five years old.

Fauja walked nine full marathons in his career that spanned nearly 14 years. For his incredible feat in running, Fauja also became the face of the Adidas campaign, "Impossible is nothing," which also featured David Beckham and Muhammad Ali. For what Fauja Singh did in running, he was awarded the British Empire Medal in 2015.

Fauja was also awarded the Ellis Island Medal of Honor by the National Ethnic Coalition in 2013 in the US. He was also one of the torchbearers for the 2012 London Olympics. At 100 years of age, Fauja Singh ran the Toronto Marathon in 8 hours and 11 minutes. Fauja ran his last marathon in London and clocked 7 hours and 49 minutes.

Fauja Singh was undoubtedly an inspiration to everyone who is facing silent battles on their own and is in pursuit of one true motivational source to find joy in life again.