World's Oldest Marathoner Fauja Singh Runs The Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore 2012

17 NOV 2012

World’s Oldest Marathoner Fauja Singh Runs The Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore 2012

101-year old will be running 10km for the SportCares Foundation on 2 December

Singapore, 17 November 2012 - Fauja Singh, believed to be the world’s oldest marathoner at 101 years old, will be participating in the Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore on Sunday, 2 December 2012.

  1. The British centenarian marathoner will be running in the 10km race with his son, Sukhjinder Singh, 53, while four others from their running group, Sikhs In The City (SITC), will be participating in the full marathon in Singapore.

  2. Born in India, Fauja moved to London in 1992 and is currently based in Essex, Ilford. An amateur runner in Punjab before giving up the sport in 1947, he picked up running again after the demise of his wife and he relocated to London to live with his youngest son. Fauja has since completed nine full marathons and holds the world record for the men’s over-90 category after running the Toronto marathon in five hours and 40 minutes in 2003.

  3. Taking part in one of his last races before he retires, Fauja and his team will be running to raise awareness for the SportCares Foundation, a Vision 2030 initiative that aims to leverage on the power and positive impact of sport as a force for social good - for underprivileged children, youth-at-risk, needy seniors, people with physical and/or intellectual disabilities and the disadvantaged in our community.

  4. “We aim to do something positive for the local community wherever we go and this trip to Singapore will not be different. Fauja chose to raise funds for the SportCares Foundation and we are happy to give a helping hand to the less fortunate,” said Harmander Singh, his running coach who will also be running the full marathon.

  5. “Fauja has inspired many around the world with his races and we are truly honoured to have him run in the Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore. Sport has the power to change lives and by running for the SportCares Foundation, Fauja will be inspiring many individuals and corporate supporters to make a difference to those in need.” said Mr Toh Boon Yi, Chief, Strategic Development & Marketing Group, Singapore Sports Council and Deputy Chairman of the SCMS 2012 organising committee. “Fauja personifies the Vision 2030 philosophy that people can live better through sports.”

  6. Donors who would like to contribute to Fauja’s cause may do so at: http://www.giveasia.org/movement/worlds_oldest_marathoner_fauja_singh_runs_for_sportcares_foundation

Enclosed

Annex: Fact Sheet of Mr Fauja Singh

Name: Fauja Singh
Date of birth: 1 April 1911
Place of birth: India
Current place of residency: Essex, Ilford, England
Total number of full marathons: Nine
Marathon debut: London, Year 2000, at age 89
Running Group: Sikhs In The City - www.sikhsinthecity.org
GiveAsia webpage: http://www.giveasia.org/movement/worlds_oldest_marathoner_fauja_singh_runs_for_sportcares_foundation

World Records set:
Toronto Marathon, 2003 (Men’s over-90 category) - 5 hours and 40 minutes
Eight records set in one day as a 100 year old (2011):

  1. 100 metres – 23.40 seconds (previous 29.83)
  2. 200 metres – 52.23 seconds (previous 77.59 seconds)
  3. 400 metres – 2:13.48 (previous 3:41.00)
  4. 800 metres – 5:32.18 (no previous record)
  5. 1,500 metres – 11:27.00 (previous 16:46.00)
  6. Mile – 11:53.45 (no previous record)
  7. 3,000 metres – 24:52.47 (no previous record)
  8. 5,000 metres – 49:57.39 (no previous record)

Sequence of Fauja Singh’s 10km, Half and Full Marathon timings:

  • London Flora Marathon 2000 - 6 Hours 54 minutes
  • London Flora Marathon 2001 - 6 Hours 54 Minutes
  • London Flora Marathon 2002 - 6 Hours 45 Minutes
  • Bupa Great North Run (Half Marathon) 2002 - 2 Hours 39 minutes
  • London Flora Marathon 2003 - 6 Hours 2 minutes
  • Toronto Waterfront Marathon 2003 - 5 Hours 40 minutes
  • New York City Marathon 2003 - 7 Hours 35 minutes
  • London Flora Marathon 2004 - 6 Hours 7 minutes
  • Glasgow City Half Marathon 2004 - 2 Hours 33 minutes
  • Capital Radio Help a London Child 10,000m 2004 - 68 minutes
  • Toronto Waterfront Half Marathon 2004 - 2 Hours 29 minutes 59 seconds
  • Lahore Marathon (10,000m) 2005 - 64 minutes
  • Newham Classic 10,000m, March 2010 - 75 minutes
  • ING Luxembourg (Half) Marathon. May 2010 - 3 hours 32 minutes (became oldest half marathoner)
  • Newham Classic 10km, 10 April 2011 - 83 minutes (fastest ever for a 100 year old runner)
  • Toronto Waterfront Marathon, 16 October 2011 - 8 hours 11 minutes 6 seconds (at the age of 100)
  • Hong Kong Marathon, 10km, 2012 - 94 minutes (raising $25,800 for charity)
  • Newham Classic 10km, 15 April 2012 - 77 minutes 32 seconds
  • Virgin London Marathon, 22 April 2012 - 7 hours 49 minutes and 21 seconds

For media enquiries, please contact:
Eric Ong Manager, Media Relations
Singapore Sports Council
Tel: (65) 6500 5014
Email: eric_ong@ssc.gov.sg

Ho Shu Fen
Fulford PR
Email: sfho@fulfordpr.com

About the Singapore Sports Council
The Singapore Sports Council aims to transform the nation through sport, by inspiring people and uniting communities. As the national sports agency, we work with a vast network of public-private-and people sector partners to create access, opportunities and capabilities for individuals to live better through sports. As detailed in the Vision 2030 Live Better Through Sport recommendations, our mandate goes beyond driving participation and winning medals. At SSC, we use sport to create resilient, tenacious people, an appreciation for teamwork, a commitment to purpose, strong united communities and national pride.

To find out more, visit our websites sportsingapore.gov.sg.
Follow us on Facebook and Flickr at: facebook.com/livebetterthroughsport and flickr.com/ssc-sportsphotography

About Standard Chartered Bank in Singapore
Standard Chartered in Singapore is part of an international banking group with an extensive network of over 1,700 branches and outlets in more than 70 countries in the Asia Pacific Region, South Asia, the Middle East, Africa, the United Kingdom and the Americas.

It is committed to building a sustainable business over the long term and is trusted worldwide for upholding high standards of corporate governance, social responsibility, environmental protection and employee diversity. The Bank’s heritage and values are expressed in its brand promise, ‘Here for good’.

Standard Chartered has a history of more than 150 years in Singapore, opening its first branch here in 1859 and in October 1999 was among the first international banks to receive a Qualifying Full Bank (QFB) licence, an endorsement of the Group’s long-standing commitment to its businesses in the country.

It serves both Consumer and Wholesale Banking customers. Consumer Banking provides credit cards, personal loans, mortgages, deposit taking and wealth management services to individuals and small to medium sized enterprises. Wholesale Banking provides corporate and institutional clients with services in trade finance, cash management, lending, securities services, foreign exchange, debt capital markets and corporate finance.

The Bank employs over 7,000 people in Singapore and has a network of 20 branches, 30 ATMs, and 6 Priority Banking centres. Standard Chartered is the only international bank to offer NETS service, giving its customers access to EFTPOS at over 17,000 outlets islandwide. The Bank’s global businesses - Consumer and Wholesale Banking - are managed out of Singapore, as is its global Technology & Operations function.