Kenyans Koech and Chepngeno win Cologne Marathon, both with course records

Kenya won both marathon titles at the Generali Köln Marathon in Cologne, Germany, on Sunday 4 October 2026. Bernard Kiprop Koech took the men's race in 2:06:10 and Jackline Chepngeno the women's race in 2:21:34. Both times were course records, according to Runner's World Germany and the German news site t-online.

Koech beat the previous men's record of 2:06:54, which his compatriot Barnaba Kipkoech set in 2025, Runner's World Germany reported. The magazine said Koech decided the race with a surge after the 35-kilometre mark.

Ethiopia's Habtamu Birlew was second in 2:06:30 and Kenya's Raymond Choge third in 2:07:20, according to World-Track. Uganda's Victor Kiplangat, the 2023 world marathon champion, finished fourth in 2:07:57.

Chepngeno, 33, broke a women's course record of 2:25:34 that had stood since 2012 and took 2 minutes 47 seconds off her personal best of 2:24:21, Runner's World Germany reported. The magazine said she returned to racing this spring after a break of several years, winning the Linz Marathon.

Ethiopians took the next two places in the women's race: Fantu Shugi in 2:24:26 and Ayantu Kumela in 2:25:53, World-Track reported. Kenya's Faith Chepkoech was fourth in 2:26:18, according to the HD Sports results page.

In the half marathon, Germany's Richard Ringer won in 61:50, a course record, and Germany's Esther Pfeiffer won the women's race in 67:24, Runner's World Germany reported.

More than 41,000 people took part across all distances, a record for the event and more than 10 per cent up on the previous year, t-online reported on 4 October. The race has been held since 1997.