Buster Martin: Man who claimed to be the oldest-ever marathon runner at the age of 101
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Buster Martin, who died on 12 April, claimed to be the oldest-ever marathon runner at the age of 101. He ran the 2008 London Marathon in just under 10 hours, raising £20,000 for charity, and expected to be recognised as the oldest person to complete the distance, but was refused the accolade because he was unable to verify his age, amid suggestions that he could have been as "young" as 94.
Several months after his marathon run, Martin claimed to have been issued a passport with a date of birth verifying his age. Guinness World Records said they would have needed a birth certificate to prove the record. "It's not about the world record," he said at the time. "The only Guinness I am interested in is a pint of Guinness."
Martin worked as a van cleaner at a London plumbing firm until his death. He features in a film called How to Live Forever by the American documentary-maker Mark Wexler which is due for release in the US in May.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments