DUBAI // An air of expectation rippled through a car park early yesterday morning as runners awaited the arrival of a 100-year-old athlete who completed his first marathon at the sprightly age of 89.
Clad in a black turban, running clothes and sports shoes, Fauja Singh, an Indian-born Sikh from London, arrived a little after 7am.
Not even a downpour could dampen the centenarian's spirit as he cheerfully greeted fellow runners before embarking on his four-and-a-half-kilometre run.
Surprising onlookers, he broke into a series of warm-up exercises, forcing them to follow suit. The warm-up, he said, was part of his routine.
"I want to be able to run like this until my last breath," Mr Singh said in Punjabi after completing his 40-minute run, which began and ended opposite the World Trade Centre. "I hope to die while doing what I love, which is running."
The British citizen's feat came less than a month after the Toronto Waterfront Marathon, which he finished in more than eight hours, becoming one of the oldest runners in the 42-kilometre event.
The racer showed no signs of fatigue or exhaustion yesterday as he effortlessly ran alongside professional runners. He only paused at the finish, where he was greeted with applause and a bottle of water.
Mr Singh is in the Emirates to promote a healthy lifestyle and to attend a two-day tournament of the South Asian team sport Kabbadi that concluded in Sharjah yesterday.
"A lot of blue-collared workers are turning to alcoholism," said Sukhpreet Singh, a member of Sarbat Da Bhala or Welfare of Mankind, an Indian charity in Dubai that sponsored Mr Singh's trip. "We want to promote healthy living among everyone, including white-collared workers, and advise people against drinking."
The charity's organisers hoped that the elderly marathon runner, who does not smoke or drink alcohol, would serve as a strong example.
"Anyone involved in anything illegal should be punished," the British runner said, referring to Indian men who have been convicted over the years for drinking and selling alcohol illegally in the UAE.
He said there were other reasons behind his Dubai visit.
"I wanted to see the Burj Khalifa and the new gurdwara [temple] that is being built here."
A temple for Sikhs is being built in Jebel Ali and is scheduled for completion soon.
Mr Singh was featured in the Adidas global advertising campaign, "Impossible is nothing", in 2004 on posters alongside the English footballer David Beckham and the American boxer Muhammad Ali. He continues to sport the brand's shoes with his first name, Fauja, engraved on them.
A biography of Mr Singh, Turbaned Tornado, by a well-known Indian journalist and writer, is believed to be under way. The biography will be written in English, a language Mr Singh cannot read, but he hopes to have it translated into Punjabi.
Born on April 1, 1911, he began running in the Indian state of Punjab, where he was a farmer. He later moved to England to be closer to his children. He started training seriously only after his wife died. His regimented life includes waking up early, following a sparse diet consisting of ginger curry, Indian breads and a cup of tea, all of which he prepares himself, and four hours of walking.
"I believe in a disciplined life and having a healthy body, mind and soul," he said.
He has participated in several marathons internationally. However, Guinness World Records refused to recognise him as the world's oldest runner after his October marathon in Toronto. The organisation cited his inability to produce a birth certificate.
"To finish a marathon at such an old age is awe-inspiring," Craig Glenday, the editor-in-chief of Guinness World Records, said in a written statement. "However, we have yet to receive the documentary evidence that we need to confirm Mr Singh as the world's oldest marathon runner. The claim will remain open until such evidence is provided."
Mr Singh said hospitals did not keep birth records 100 years ago, adding that his passport, which includes his date of birth, was his only proof of age.
The lack of official recognition does not deter him.
"I give away the money I earn to charities and hospitals in the UK, and I will continue running as long as I can," he said.
pkannan@thenational.ae
The headline of this article has been changed since original publication. Mr Singh did not compete in a Dubai marathon, he completed in a 4.5km training event.
World Cup warm-up fixtures
Friday, May 24:
- Pakistan v Afghanistan (Bristol)
- Sri Lanka v South Africa (Cardiff)
Saturday, May 25
- England v Australia (Southampton)
- India v New Zealand (The Oval, London)
Sunday, May 26
- South Africa v West Indies (Bristol)
- Pakistan v Bangladesh (Cardiff)
Monday, May 27
- Australia v Sri Lanka (Southampton)
- England v Afghanistan (The Oval, London)
Tuesday, May 28
- West Indies v New Zealand (Bristol)
- Bangladesh v India (Cardiff)
BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE
Starring: Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, Jenny Ortega
Director: Tim Burton
Rating: 3/5
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
A meeting of young minds
The 3,494 entries for the 2019 Sharjah Children Biennial come from:
435 – UAE
2,000 – China
808 – United Kingdom
165 – Argentina
38 – Lebanon
16 – Saudi Arabia
16 – Bangladesh
6 – Ireland
3 – Egypt
3 – France
2 – Sudan
1 – Kuwait
1 – Australia
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The Buckingham Murders
Starring: Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ash Tandon, Prabhleen Sandhu
Director: Hansal Mehta
Rating: 4 / 5
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo hybrid
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 390bhp
Torque: 400Nm
Price: Dh340,000 ($92,579
TO ALL THE BOYS: ALWAYS AND FOREVER
Directed by: Michael Fimognari
Starring: Lana Condor and Noah Centineo
Two stars
The Penguin
Starring: Colin Farrell, Cristin Milioti, Rhenzy Feliz
Creator: Lauren LeFranc
Rating: 4/5
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Xpanceo
Started: 2018
Founders: Roman Axelrod, Valentyn Volkov
Based: Dubai, UAE
Industry: Smart contact lenses, augmented/virtual reality
Funding: $40 million
Investor: Opportunity Venture (Asia)
if you go
The flights
The closest international airport to the TMB trail is Geneva (just over an hour’s drive from the French ski town of Chamonix where most people start and end the walk). Direct flights from the UAE to Geneva are available with Etihad and Emirates from about Dh2,790 including taxes.
The trek
The Tour du Mont Blanc takes about 10 to 14 days to complete if walked in its entirety, but by using the services of a tour operator such as Raw Travel, a shorter “highlights” version allows you to complete the best of the route in a week, from Dh6,750 per person. The trails are blocked by snow from about late October to early May. Most people walk in July and August, but be warned that trails are often uncomfortably busy at this time and it can be very hot. The prime months are June and September.
Company%20profile
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COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
ROUTE%20TO%20TITLE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERound%201%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Beat%20Leolia%20Jeanjean%206-1%2C%206-2%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERound%202%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EBeat%20Naomi%20Osaka%207-6%2C%201-6%2C%207-5%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERound%203%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EBeat%20Marie%20Bouzkova%206-4%2C%206-2%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERound%204%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Beat%20Anastasia%20Potapova%206-0%2C%206-0%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EQuarter-final%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EBeat%20Marketa%20Vondrousova%206-0%2C%206-2%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESemi-final%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EBeat%20Coco%20Gauff%206-2%2C%206-4%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFinal%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Beat%20Jasmine%20Paolini%206-2%2C%206-2%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
Leading all-time NBA scorers
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 38,387
Karl Malone 36,928
Kobe Bryant 33,643
Michael Jordan 32,292
LeBron James 31,425
Wilt Chamberlain 31,419
JAPANESE GRAND PRIX INFO
Schedule (All times UAE)
First practice: Friday, 5-6.30am
Second practice: Friday, 9-10.30am
Third practice: Saturday, 7-8am
Qualifying: Saturday, 10-11am
Race: Sunday, 9am-midday
Race venue: Suzuka International Racing Course
Circuit Length: 5.807km
Number of Laps: 53
Watch live: beIN Sports HD
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani