A four-year-old boy nicknamed "India's Forrest Gump" ran 65 kilometres in seven hours and two minutes on Tuesday, an effort his coach said was likely a world record.

Budhia Singh was escorted by a team of doctors and 300 army cadets as he ran from Puri town to Bhubaneswar in the eastern state of Orissa.

His coach, Biranchi Das, said doctors stopped the boy before he completed his intended run of 70 kilometres because he showed signs of exhaustion.

The run comes amid allegations the boy's coach is pushing him too hard in a bid for fame.

Das says he and his wife adopted Budhia after his impoverished mother tried to sell the boy, whose father is dead.

The coach discovered the tot's athletic ability when Budhia was ordered to run laps for trespassing on a sports field. When the coach returned five hours later, Budhia was still running.

But state child welfare officials have alleged Das is pushing the boy too hard in order to gain fame.

Budhia, who practises for 10 hours a day, told reporters he was happy to do it.

"I loved running today. I can run as much as I want," the child told reporters.


http://www.cbc.ca/story/news/national/2006/05/02/india_boyrunner060502.html



Wow that is impressive.... so is this more an innocent attempt to help harness this kid's potential or is this kid being totally coerced and taken advantage of by his coach?