Eifel runners shine at the Cologne Marathon: records and personal best times!

Eifel runners shine at the Cologne Marathon: records and personal best times!

On October 8, 2025, Cologne once again became a mecca for runners from all over the world when the Generali Cologne Marathon took place in all its glory. An exciting event that attracted not only the professionals, but also numerous amateur runners and sports enthusiasts.

For many athletes, the marathon in Cologne was the highlight of their sporting ambitions. Particularly noteworthy was the performance of Esther Pfeiffer, who won the half marathon with a time of 67:28 minutes. Not only did she set a new course record, but she also became the third fastest German over the half marathon distance. The previous record of 68:51 minutes was set by Sabrina Mockenhaupt in 2008. Only two runners were faster than Pfeiffer - Melat Kejeta and Konstanze Klosterhalfen, who also shone in international comparison.

Local successes

The competition was also a great success for the runners from the Euskirchen district. Jennifer Klünter from Flamersheim celebrated her first half marathon with a respectable time of 1:47:23 hours, while Lena Ganser from Ripsdorf even needed 1:46:49 hours. Both have only been active in running for six months and are showing great ambition, as Klünter plans to run a marathon in Barcelona next spring.

Volker Daniels from Ripsdorf was also pleased, as he improved his personal best time in the marathon to 3:12:33 hours, and that without a long preparation period. Nora Schmitz from Euskirchen also shone with her second place in her age group and a best time of 2:50 hours. Even District Administrator Markus Ramers dared to take part in his first marathon and finished in 3:43:36 hours - proof of his perseverance.

Records and achievements

The men's marathon also had exciting aspects to offer: Barnaba Kipkoech from Kenya secured victory with a time of 2:06:54 hours, breaking the previously held Cologne record of 2:07:37 minutes. Boniface Kibiwott and Onesmus Kiplimo followed him in second and third place, both under the 2:10 mark, which shows the high level of performance in the international field of participants.

The fastest woman in the marathon was Fantu Shugi from Ethiopia with 2:29:12 hours, followed by two other runners from Ethiopia and Kenya. Another highlight were the 5 kilometer and 10 kilometer distances, which also became the focus of the spectators. Joe Körbs and Katja Schloemer showed their skills in the family and school runs, and Daniel Bauer impressed as the fastest runner over 10 km.

Athletes' records and achievements are not just numbers on paper. They talk about hard work, training and the pursuit of personal bests. The organizers use platforms such as HDsports, which provide comprehensive databases and statistics to make the events transparent for everyone involved. This information is crucial in the world of running to properly assess the key players and document their successes.

The response to the Cologne Marathon was overwhelming and suggests that this traditional event in the heart of Germany will continue to be on the list of major sporting events. Whether it's about the runners' individual achievements or the sparkling records, the community and ambition drive the participants to achieve top performance. Cologne, we are looking forward to the next races!

For further details and complete results of the marathon, those interested can use the relevant platforms, such as those from HDSports, consult.

A big congratulations goes to all participants and organizers for this impressive event!