The world is no longer blessed with one of its most inspiring personalities. Fauja Singh, the iconic long-distance athlete known for becoming the oldest marathon finisher in the world, died at age 114 after being hit by a vehicle in a fatal hit-and-run accident in his hometown of Beas Pind, India.

Singh was walking across the road on Monday, July 14, when a car struck him and drove away. He died later at a local hospital from his injuries. His son, Harvinder Singh, confirmed the tragic news and stated that officials are investigating the incident.

Running Legend Who Broke Age Barriers

Fauja Singh, Oldest Marathon Finisher in History, Dies in Hit-and-Run Fauja Singh, Oldest Marathon Finisher in History, Dies in Hit-and-Run
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Fauja Singh didn't tie up his running shoes until he was 89, but once he did, he was an endurance and optimism icon. His debut marathon, the 2000 London Marathon, took him 6 hours and 54 minutes to complete, which is remarkable for any man his age.

By 2003, he had established his personal best of 5 hours and 40 minutes in the Toronto Waterfront Marathon, running in the 90+ age category, TMZ Sports reports.

Singh then continued to break several world records in different senior age groups and emerged as a source of hope for aged athletes worldwide.

More Than a Runner and a Global Inspiration

Singh's impact spread far beyond marathons. He was awarded many accolades in his lifetime, including the Pride of India title, the British Empire Medal, and the Ellis Island Medal of Honor.

In 2004 and 2012, he was privileged to bear the Olympic torch.

Singh was also the inspiration and soul of his running club, Sikhs In The City, which made plans to celebrate his upcoming birthday by redoubling efforts to construct a Fauja Singh Clubhouse along his favorite training path.

Lifestyle of Discipline and Purpose

Despite retiring competitively from running in 2013, Singh continued an active lifestyle, walking as much as 10 miles daily. He credited his extraordinary health and longevity to a straightforward yet potent equation: vegetarian eating, no tobacco, and no alcohol.

Although he is widely known internationally as the oldest marathon finisher in the world, Guinness World Records never officially confirmed his record because there was no birth certificate, an uncommon problem among those born during early 20th-century rural India.

"Running showed me kindness and brought me back to life by making me forget all my traumas and sorrows," Singh told CNN in an interview. He was 102 years old at that time.