Cologne Marathon 2025: Records and cheers despite gusts of wind!

Cologne Marathon 2025: Records and cheers despite gusts of wind!

The 27th Cologne Marathon took place on October 5, 2025, and the event was an absolute highlight in the Cologne event calendar. In a fantastic atmosphere, numerous spectators lined the streets while they cheered on the runners with DJ sounds and rhythmic beats. Over 37,000 participants registered for the marathon, which is a new record. Presenter Stefan Raab was on the route with his e-scooter to further motivate the audience and the athletes.

Unfortunately, the weather put a damper on the little ones' plans. The children's run planned for Saturday had to be canceled due to strong gusts of wind. The shake-out run at the Aachener Weiher also fell victim to the poor conditions.

Record runs on the track

From a sporting perspective, it wasn't just the number of participants that set a new record. Barnaba Kipkoech from Kenya ran the entire marathon distance and showed outstanding form. With a time of 2:06:52, he beat Alfred Kering's previous record by 43 seconds. In the women's category, Fantu Shugi from Ethiopia also set the fastest time in her category with 2:29:16 minutes.

In the half marathon, Esther Pfeiffer shone with a new German record for women. She finished in 1:07:28, which beat Sabrina Mockenhaupt's old record (1:08:51) after 17 years. Jona Bodirsky also scored points in the men's half marathon, remaining only 11 seconds behind the course record in 1:03:11 and thus winning the race.

Security and organization in focus

A smooth process is crucial for such a large-scale event. Over 70 police officers ensured that the event ran safely and that the participants could concentrate on what was important: the run. Many streets and road sections were closed that day to ensure the marathon was held safely.

The enthusiasm for running is not only evident in Cologne. According to current figures, around 45 percent of Germans regularly do running or endurance sports. And marathon events in Germany are also on the rise. With 131 marathons taking place in 2023 and a number of participants of almost 54,000 at major events such as the Cologne Marathon, running is very popular. If that's not a reason to celebrate!

The Cologne Marathon 2025 will go down in the city's history books as a memorable event, not only because of the impressive sporting achievements, but also because of the unique atmosphere that the city has to offer. We can only hope that the conditions will be better next year to enable all juniors and running enthusiasts to take part.

For more information on the athletes' performances and the event as a whole, see coverage from Express and Sports show. Another interesting look at marathons in Germany offers Statista.