Speed Record: Ehizibue is fastest Bundesliga player of all time

By Akeem Lawal

COLOGNE defender Kingsley Ehizibue has become the fastest player in German Bundesliga history, a week after Bayern Munich’s Kingsley Coman set his own speed record, Sportsbiz247.blogspot.com reports.

French wing wizard Coman clocked 22.16 miles per hour (35.66 km/h) in Bayern Munich's 3-2 win against Paderborn on Matchday 6, but Ehizibue, who is of Nigerian descent found another gear in Cologne's 1-1 draw with Schalke on Matchday 7, hit a top speed of 22.3 mph (35.85 km/h).

In the report published on the Bundesliga official website, Mainz defender Jeremiah St. Juste is third overall (22.12 mph), and Borussia Mönchengladbach's USMNT all-rounder Fabian Johnson fourth (22.05 mph).

All four recorded their Bundesliga personal bests during the current 2019/20 campaign, while ex-Borussia Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (22.02 mph) completes the top five.

Hertha Berlin full-back Lukas Klünter was the quickest Bundesliga player last season (21.99 mph), but has slipped to seventh in the all-time standings behind winger Sheraldo Becker (22.01 mph) of city rivals, Union.

Born in Germany to Nigerian parents, but moved to the Netherlands at 2 years of age, the 24-year-old reportedly turned down the approach by his fatherland for his services when Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr was freshly appointed as coach of the national team.

A summer signing from Dutch outfit PEC Zwolle, Ehizibue has started six of Cologne's seven Bundesliga assignments in 2019/19, only missing the Matchday 6 defeat to Hertha through suspension.

The Munich-born former Netherlands U21 international has made 113 sprint attempts overall, whilst winning 60 per cent of his aerial challenges and hitting the mark with 72 per cent of his attempted passes.

Promoted Cologne, 17th out of 18 clubs after seven matches going into the October international break, resume their campaign with a crunch game at home to rock-bottom Paderborn (20 October).