In a stunning display of technological advancement, humanoid robots have surpassed the human world record for a half-marathon. The winning robot, representing Chinese smartphone brand Honor, completed the 21-kilometer race in 50 minutes and 26 seconds during an event in Yizhuang, China, as reported by state broadcaster CCTV.
A New Pace in Robotics
The record-setting time, averaging nearly 25 km/h, not only beat the human winner of the parallel race but also eclipsed the official world record of 57 minutes and 20 seconds held by Ugandan runner Jacob Kiplimo by nearly seven minutes. The event featured robots and humans running on separate, parallel tracks to prevent collisions, with spectators lining the route to witness the machines in action.
Rapid Evolution on Display
The progress from just one year ago is dramatic. In the 2025 edition of the race, the winning robot finished in 2 hours, 40 minutes, and 42 seconds—a time three times slower than this year’s result. Last year’s event was also marred by frequent falls, whereas the robots demonstrated significantly more fluid and stable movement this time.
Participation has skyrocketed, growing from about twenty teams to over one hundred, indicating surging interest and investment in humanoid robotics, according to organizers.
Limitations and Future Strides
Despite the impressive performance, current models still face notable constraints. The robots required mid-race battery changes and remain unable to stand up independently if they fall. However, the leap in speed and stability marks a significant milestone toward more capable and autonomous humanoid machines.
