Humanoid Half-Marathon 2026: Honor's Robot Breaks Human World Record In Beijing Race

A humanoid robot that won a half-marathon race for robots in Beijing on Sunday, April 19, ran faster than the human world record in a show of China’s technological leaps. The winner from Honor, a Chinese smartphone maker, completed the 21-kilometer (13-mile) race in 50 minutes and 26 seconds, according to a WeChat post by the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area, also known as Beijing E-Town, where the race kicked off. That was faster than the human world record holder, Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo, who finished the same distance in about 57 minutes in March at the Lisbon road race. The performance by the robot marked a significant step forward from last year’s inaugural race, during which the winning robot finished in 2 hours, 40 minutes and 42 seconds.

Updated on: 21 April 2026 2:07 pm

Published at: 21 April 2026 2:07 pm

A robot tagged along a ribbon as it crossing the finish line in the Beijing E-Town Half Marathon and Humanoid Robot Half-Marathon on the outskirts of Beijing. | Photo: AP/Andy Wong

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A humanoid robot falls right after the start of a half-marathon race for robots in Beijing. | Photo: Iori Sagisawa/Kyodo News via AP

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The winner of the humanoid robot half-marathon from Honor is chased by journalists after a press conference at the Beijing E-Town Half Marathon and Humanoid Robot Half-Marathon on the outskirts of Beijing. | Photo: AP/Andy Wong

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A humanoid robot runs in the second Beijing E-Town Half Marathon and Humanoid Robot Half Marathon in Beijing. | Photo: Haruna Furuhashi/Pool Photo via AP

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A humanoid robot runs in the Beijing E-Town Half Marathon and Humanoid Half Marathon on the outskirts of Beijing. | Photo: Haruna Furuhashi/Pool Photo via AP

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A robot competes along side with human in the Beijing E-Town Half Marathon and Humanoid Robot Half-Marathon held in the outskirts of Beijing. | Photo: AP/Andy Wong

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A robot resembling a toddler with a milk bottle starts off for the Beijing E-Town Half Marathon and Humanoid Half Marathon held on the outskirts of Beijing. | Photo: AP/Ng Han Guan

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A robot competes along side with human participants in the Beijing E-Town Half Marathon and Humanoid Robot Half-Marathon held in the outskirts of Beijing. | Photo: AP/Andy Wong

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A robot starts off for the Beijing E-Town Half Marathon and Humanoid Half Marathon held on the outskirts of Beijing. | Photo: AP/Ng Han Guan

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A robot starts off next to human marathon runners for the Beijing E-Town Half Marathon and Humanoid Half Marathon held on the outskirts of Beijing. | Photo: AP/Ng Han Guan

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