The Generali Cologne Marathon takes place on Sunday 4 October with a men's field built around 2023 world champion Victor Kiplangat and the course-record holder Barnaba Kipkoech. The two are joined by Bernard Koech, a two-time Hamburg Marathon winner, in a trio that gives the race a credible fast-time look.
Kipkoech, of Kenya, won in Cologne in 2025 in 2:06:54, which is both his personal best and the course record. He ran 2:08:20 at the Tokyo Marathon this spring, and has said the fast course and the enthusiasm of the spectators made last year's race special for him. Kiplangat, a 26-year-old from Uganda, won the world title in Budapest in 2023 and has a personal best of 2:05:09 from Hamburg in 2022; his most recent marathon was a 2:08:29 in Paris this spring.
Koech, 38, has the quickest personal best in the field at 2:04:09, and won in Hamburg in 2023 and 2024. His presence gives the race a veteran with proven pace against two younger rivals, and sets up the possibility of a tactical contest over the closing kilometres.
In the women's race, defending champion Fantu Shugi of Ethiopia returns after improving her personal best to 2:23:29 at the Dubai Marathon, a big step on the 2:29:12 with which she won in Cologne last year. Four women in the field have personal bests under 2:27, and the course record of 2:25:34, set in 2012, looks within range.
Agnes Keino, 38, of Kenya owns a best of 2:22:53 from Frankfurt in 2024 and ran 2:26:15 in Milan this spring. Jackline Chepngeno won the Linz Marathon in 2:26:01 in her comeback after injury and motherhood, and Faith Chepkoech, third in Cologne last year, has a best of 2:26:22 from Vienna in 2024. Results will follow once the official times are confirmed.