Fauja Singh, a man believed to be the world’s oldest marathon runner at 101 years old, has run his last long distance competitive race in Hong Kong.
Fauja Singh, from Ilford, east London, finished the Hong Kong 10 km (6.25 mile) event in one hour, 32 minutes and 28 seconds.
“I will remember this day. I will miss it,” Fauja Singh said minutes after crossing the finish line.
In 2000, Fauja Singh ran his first London marathon and went on to compete in a further eight marathons.
Earlier in the day, he said: “I am feeling a bit of happiness and a bit of sadness mixed together.
“I am happy that I am retiring at the top of the game but I am sad that the time has come for me to not be part of it.”
He said he would miss running in competitive races but he would run again for charity if he was needed.
Fauja Singh became the oldest full marathon runner after finishing the 2011 Toronto marathon when he turned 100.
But his feat was not recognized by Guinness World Records because he does not have a birth certificate to prove his age – only a passport.
Fauja Singh, a man believed to be the world’s oldest marathon runner at 101 years old, has run his last long distance competitive race in Hong Kong
Fauja Singh was not a professional runner when he was young but a farmer in Punjab, India.
He moved to Britain in the 1960s, and started running when he was 89 after he lost his wife and his fifth son.
“From a tragedy has come a lot of success and happiness,” Fauja Singh said, before the race.
Fauja Singh’s best time for the full marathon was 5 hours and 40 minutes at the 2003 Toronto marathon.
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Fauja Singh, the world’s oldest marathon runner, is set to join more than 27,000 people taking part in the 10th Edinburgh Marathon Festival.
Fauja Singh, 101, retired from running full marathons following his eighth marathon in London in April but he will be taking part in the Edinburgh relay.
As well as the relay, there will be a full 26 mile marathon, a half marathon, a 10K, a 5K, and junior races.
It is the biggest running event in Scotland.
It is second only to London in UK marathon size.
Fauja Singh, the world's oldest marathon runner, is set to join more than 27,000 people taking part in the 10th Edinburgh Marathon Festival
This year’s Edinburgh marathon features a line up of some of the finest athletes in the world.
Among those on the start line will be Zachary Kihara, 33, of Kenya who holds the course record, crossing the finish line in 2:15:46.
Since the Edinburgh Marathon started in 2003 it has had an economic impact of more than £25 million ($40 million) for the Scottish capital and has helped raise more than £30 million ($48 million) for hundreds of charities.
Together with the Edinburgh Marathon’s official charity Macmillan Cancer Support and hundreds of other charities the 10th anniversary organizers are hoping to break all previous records and raise more than £4.5 million ($7.2 million) in 2012.
Neil Kilgour, Edinburgh Marathon Festival race director, said: “It’s hard to believe that a decade has gone by since our first event in 2003 but we’re delighted that we have developed into one of the UK’s and Scotland’s major running occasions.
“Edinburgh Marathon Festival has it all – a great city that acts as a stunning backdrop to the event’s proceedings and a programme of races that means that everyone is catered for from children to marathon veterans.
“We’re looking forward to a great 10th birthday and welcoming back the thousands of runners who’ve supported the event over the years plus the thousands who will be joining us for the first time.”
