A 100-year-old British runner has become the oldest person to complete a marathon.
Fauja Singh finished the 26-mile Toronto Waterfront Marathon in Canada on Sunday – ahead of five other runners – in eight hours, 25 minutes and 16 seconds.
After 22 miles the centenarian briefly looked like he might have to stop, but battled on for another two hours to reach the finishing line in 3,850th place.
Quick footed: Fauja Singh, 100, raises his arms in celebration after completing the Toronto Waterfront Marathon yesterday earning him a spot in the Guinness World Book of Records
The feat earns Mr Singh, from Ilford, East London, another spot in Guinness World Records. He already held a world record for the men’s over-90s category after finishing the 2003 Toronto marathon.
Indian-born Mr Singh, who moved to the UK in the 1960s, developed a love for running when he was a farmer in Punjab.
He took up the sport seriously only 11 years ago after the death of his wife. He trains every day, running ten miles.
Mr Singh, who was a torchbearer at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, now hopes to participate in the 2012 London Games torch relay.
He attributes his extraordinary stamina to ginger curry, cups of tea and ‘being happy’, adding: ‘The secret to a long and healthy life is to be stress-free.
‘Be grateful for everything you have, stay away from people who are negative, stay smiling and keep running.’
Nimble: Fauja Singh has become the first person to sign up to the 2012 Edinburgh Marathon Festival race
Training: Fauja Singh has revealed the key to conquering his daily 10 mile run is eating plenty of ginger curry and drinking copious amounts of tea
Running man: Fauja Singh will compete in Edinburgh's marathon next year
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