Chinese robot beats human best time in half-marathon
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Humanoid robots competed in the 2026 Beijing E-Town Humanoid Robot Half Marathon in Beijing, China, on Sunday, April 19, and the winner, a robot named Lightning that was developed by Chinese smartphone maker Honor, finished the 13-mile race in just 50 minutes and 26 seconds, according to state-run outlet China Daily.
The “robot-only” division of the Beijing E-Town Half-Marathon on Sunday, April 19, saw humanoid robots attempt a full 21.1km course alongside humans. While Chinese smartphone maker Honor’s Lightning robot took first place with record-breaking speed,
China’s humanoid robot half marathon showed real gains in speed and autonomy, even if the race still revealed clear technical limits.