A humanoid robot developed by Chinese tech giant HONOR has beaten the best human runners in the world. Competing at the 2026 Beijing E-Town Half-Marathon, the robot, nicknamed “Flash”, completed the 21.0975-kilometer course in a staggering 50 minutes and 26 seconds.
HONOR’s “Flash” Robot
This achievement beat the current human world record of 57:20, set by Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo. Navigating the course without human intervention, the robot maintained an average pace of approximately 15 mph.
The event highlighted a massive leap in robotic mobility. Last year’s inaugural winner finished in over two and a half hours; this year, HONOR swept the podium, with all three of its top finishers beating the human record.
Standing 169 cm tall, the winning machine features a sophisticated liquid-cooling system and high-torque actuators designed to mimic elite human athletes. Despite a minor collision with a barricade near the finish line, the robot recovered to claim victory.
“This is a milestone for general-purpose robotics,” said an HONOR engineer, noting that the liquid-cooling and structural reliability tested on the track will eventually transition to industrial and domestic applications
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