Picture: File / Photo
Beijing: A humanoid robot broke the human world record by winning a robot half-marathon race held on Sunday, April 19, 2026, in the Chinese capital, Beijing.
The winning robot covered the distance faster than the human world record, completing the 21 km (13 mile) race in 50 minutes and 26 seconds, beating the human world record holder, Ugandan Jacob Kiplimo, who finished the same distance in about 57 minutes last March.
The robot's performance represents a significant step forward compared to last year's inaugural race, in which the winning robot completed the distance in two hours, 40 minutes, and 42 seconds. The race witnessed by several setbacks, including one robot falling off the starting line and another crashing into a barrier.
This year’s event also recorded a nearly fivefold increase in the number of participants compared to last year, with more than 100 teams taking part in the competition, including including five international teams.
