Career
He holds the record for the fastest men"s marathon in his disability category (the most severe for wheelchair athletes), set in Berlin in 1995, in 2:23:08. Köberle first participated in the Paralympic Games when the marathon was introduced in 1984. He competed in category 1A (wheelchair marathon for athletes with the most severe level of disability).
Only three athletes began the race, and only Köberle reached the finish line, obtaining his first Paralympic gold medal with a time of 3:41:47.
Köberle came first, drastically improving his previous performance, completing the marathon in 2:50:39 - almost seven minutes ahead of second-placed Rainer Kueschall (of Switzerland). In 1992, the number of competitors increased to ten.
The slower time was sufficient for gold, as four of his six opponents failed to complete the race. Those four gold medals established a record which remains unbeaten in the Paralympic marathon, in any disability category.
Though he no longer competes at the Paralympic Games, Köberle still takes part in marathons as of 2010.