Four-year-old runs 40 miles into record book

Cheered by thousands, a four-year-old Indian boy ran 40 miles today to enter the country’s foremost record book.

Budhia Singh, a slum resident from the eastern Orissa state whose talent was discovered by a local sports coach, was escorted by doctors and 300 paramilitary cadets of the Central Reserve Police Force, which plans to sponsor his upbringing.

The doctors stopped Singh from completing the target distance of 43 miles and drove him the rest of the way when the boy showed signs of extreme exhaustion.

Officials from the Limca Book of Records, India’s best-known record book, witnessed the run and said the boy’s accomplishment would feature in its 2007 edition.

“Budhia Singh completed the distance in seven hours and two minutes, which is an Indian record.

"This is perhaps a world record too. No other child at his age has completed this distance at one go,” said his coach Biranchi Das.