A 101-year-old Sikh believed to be the world's oldest marathon runner said Thursday he felt sad to be retiring from competitive events, as he prepared for his last race this weekend.

Fauja Singh, nicknamed the "Turbaned Tornado", began running at age 89 and has since completed nine marathons. But he admitted that age has finally caught up with him.

"I am hurt by the fact that I am going to retire," the Indian-born British national, who only speaks Punjabi, said in Hong Kong through his interpreter ahead of his final race this Sunday.