On April 19, 2026, the Beijing Yizhuang Half Marathon witnessed an epic showdown between technology and speed. In the second edition of the world’s first humanoid robot marathon, Honor Smart Technology Development Co., Ltd.’s “Lightning” robot crossed the finish line first with a net time of 48 minutes and 19 seconds, dramatically surpassing last year’s championship time of 2 hours and 40 minutes. This achievement not only outpaced numerous human runners but also broke the human men’s half marathon world record of 57 minutes and 20 seconds.
Record-Breaking Participation Scale
The scale of this year’s event was truly remarkable. Compared to last year when only 6 robots completed the race, this year’s competition attracted over 300 humanoid robots to compete alongside each other. Competing teams included industry leaders such as Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center, Honor, Unitree, and Sunyan Dynamics, as well as research institutions from Tsinghua University, Peking University, and University of Science and Technology of China. The event scale grew nearly fivefold from last year, with 26 mainstream brands participating.
Notably, 40% of competing robots utilized autonomous navigation, adding technical depth and entertainment value to the competition. According to test data, 90% of participating teams completed the race this year, with 25 teams achieving speeds exceeding 20 km/h, accounting for 40% of all participants. These numbers reflect the rapid advancement of China’s humanoid robot technology over the past year.
Linkage Intelligent Manufacturing: The Hidden Champion Behind Victory
The complete structural components and surface treatment services for Honor’s championship robot were all provided by Linkage Intelligent Manufacturing, with related products already in batch production. Beyond core structural component supply, Linkage possesses critical technologies for humanoid robot execution layers, including servo motors, reducers, drivers, and motion controllers. The company can provide customers with head assemblies, dexterous hand assemblies, limb assemblies, as well as high-power charging and thermal solution core hardware support.
As the core supplier of the “Lightning” robot, Linkage Intelligent Manufacturing’s technical capabilities were fully validated during this competition. From the robot’s “skeleton” to its “joints,” every precision component affects ultimate athletic performance and stability.
As the world’s first consumer electronics giant to deploy a self-developed humanoid robot in competition, Honor demonstrated Chinese technology enterprises’ ambitions in embodied intelligence. Besides “Lightning,” Honor also deployed the “Yuanqizai” robot to compete for the “Best Walking Gait Award.” This robot’s ultra-realistic walking gait attracted significant audience attention.
Shandong Youbote Intelligent Robot Co., Ltd.’s third-generation “Xingzhe Taishan” also successfully completed the race. Compared to the second-generation product that debuted in 2025, the third-generation “Xingzhe Taishan” saw its maximum movement speed increase to 4 meters per second (approximately 14.4 km/h), climbing step height reach 30 cm, and gradient climbing angle reach 20 degrees. The team specifically designed a new liquid cooling system for motor heat dissipation and installed higher energy density battery packs.
Additionally, Beijing’s locally developed “Tianyi” traffic police robot made its debut at the event. Wearing distinctive traffic officer fluorescent green attire, it stood in the designated area, continuously making left-turn gestures with voice prompts, demonstrating the application potential of humanoid robots in urban management.
Technical Breakthroughs: From “Able to Run” to “Running Well”
A humanoid robot running a marathon sounds simple but presents immense challenges. Heat issues from long-distance running, mechanical fatigue, and adaptation to complex terrain (more than 10 types including slopes and curves) are all challenges that technical teams must overcome.
To prepare for this competition, Youbote’s team entered “marathon mode” in early March 2026, having robots run a complete half marathon on real roads every day. Engineers rode alongside on bicycles to observe data and modify code on-site. The team collected running posture data from sports enthusiasts and conducted nearly 100 hours of simulation training, helping the robot’s running gait evolve from jerky to smooth, with more natural arm swings and knee bends.
The Future Is Here
This year’s Humanoid Robot Half Marathon was not merely a competitive event but a comprehensive review of China’s AI hardware industry. From chips to structural components, from algorithms to materials, countless technical breakthroughs converged and took shape along the 21-kilometer course. As technology continues to iterate, humanoid robots are moving from laboratories to broader application scenarios—industrial manufacturing, medical assistance, home services, urban management…
When scenes of robots competing alongside humans become commonplace, we may be witnessing the dawn of an entirely new era.