Honor has made a stunning leap beyond smartphones, grabbing global attention after one of its humanoid robots delivered a historic performance in a half marathon—beating not just humans in the race, but also shattering the official world record.

In a dramatic turnaround from last year’s event, where robots struggled to even finish, Honor’s robot completed the 21km race in an astonishing 50 minutes and 26 seconds. That time didn’t just secure first place—it also surpassed the existing human world record of 56 minutes and 42 seconds set by Jacob Kiplimo.

To put things in perspective, the 2025 edition saw robots underperform significantly, with only a handful finishing and the fastest robot clocking in at 2 hours and 40 minutes—nowhere near human capability at the time.

This year, however, Honor’s robots dominated the event. Not only did one claim gold, but others secured silver and bronze as well, showcasing a massive leap in robotics performance. Even more impressive is that these robots were navigating autonomously, handling both movement and route decisions without human control—something only about 40% of participants attempted.

Other notable entrants included robots like Tiangong Ultra 2026 and Unitree H1, but Honor’s entries clearly outpaced the competition.

The race itself is more than just speed—it tests endurance, balance, heat management, and real-time navigation. That makes this achievement a strong signal of how far humanoid robotics has come in a very short time.

With China heavily investing in robotics innovation, developments like this hint at a future where humanoid robots could play major roles in industries ranging from manufacturing and home assistance to more complex and demanding environments.