"Filipino Typhoon" Holtmann smashes Conteh's Bundesliga speed record
Heidenheim attacker Sirlord Conteh established himself as the Bundesliga's top "Speed Demon" with a new record earlier this season. As it turned out, Conteh's place at the top would last only six match-days. Famed German "Filipino Typhoon" Gerrit Holtmann broke Conteh's record whilst playing in the weekend 2-7 defeat against Frankfurt.
Holtmann was clocked at 36.74 km/h in the defeat. As last-placed VfL Bochum prepare to welcome a new coaching/administrative regime, the 29-year-old German journeyman can probably hope to accrue more minutes under new trainer Dieter Hecking. Holtmann played 56 minutes in relief of the injured Maximilian Wittek on Saturday. Prior to that, he only logged 13 minutes as a sub all season long.
It has been a difficult last few years for former German youth international Holtmann. An unforgettable goal on match-day two of the 2021/22 campaign (against his former club of Mainz) more than aptly demonstrated his potential. Unfortunately, things haven't worked out for the Bremen native after his above average campaign for the 1848ers that year.
After falling out of favor with the Revierklub, Holtmann failed to catch on during loan stints with Antalyaspor and later Darmstadt. The pacy winger still awaits his first Bundesliga goal since he helped Bochum beat Union Berlin on the 11th match-day of the 2022/23 campaign. The new Hecking coaching regime may accord him a chance.
Since Conteh officially became the fastest Bundesliga player in history, there have also been two new additions to the top ten. Leipzig's Loïs Openda claimed fourth place on match-day eight against Freiburg. Borussia Mönchengladbach's Nathan Ngoumou also took slot seven in a round four defeat to Frankfurt.
The updated table:
Fastest players in Bundesliga history
1) Gerrit Holtmann - 36.74 km/h
2) Sirlord Conteh - 36.67 km/h
3) Karim Adeyemi – 36.65 km/h
4) Loïs Openda – 36.64 km/h
5) Jeremiah St. Juste – 36.63 km/h
6) Sheraldo Becker – 36.57 km/h
7) Alphonso Davies – 36.53 km/h
8) Nathan Ngoumou – 36.53 km/h
9) Moussa Diaby – 36.52 km/h
10) Achraf Hakimi – 36.49 km/h