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Humanoid robot beats human half-marathon world record in Beijing

▶ Watch Video: Video shows humanoid robot setting record in half-marathon in Beijing

A humanoid robot aptly named Lightning made history on the streets of Beijing over the weekend, beating the human half-marathon world record by several minutes.

Dozens of robots lined up for the Beijing E-Town Robot Half Marathon on Sunday, tackling the 13-mile (21-kilometer) race separate from human runners.

Developed by Chinese smartphone company Honor, Lightning completed the half-marathon in just over 50 minutes, besting the human world record for the distance of over 57 minutes.

A Lightning humanoid robot by Honor crosses the finish line of the second Beijing E-Town Half Marathon and Humanoid Robot Half Marathon in Beijing, China, April 19, 2026.
A Lightning humanoid robot by Honor crosses the finish line of the second Beijing E-Town Half Marathon and Humanoid Robot Half Marathon in Beijing, China, April 19, 2026.

Reuters/Maxim Shemetov

Lightning’s creators were delighted with the result. Du Xiaodi, a development engineer at Honor, was quick to draw comparisons with other industries.

“Looking ahead, some of these technologies might be transferred to other areas,” said Du. “It’s similar to how the automotive industry initially developed through competitions.”

The event tested robots in real-world conditions, from balance and endurance to navigation. Some ran autonomously, while others were controlled remotely, all competing on a parallel course to avoid collisions with human athletes.

It wasn’t flawless. A few robots stumbled or veered off course, and one was carried away on a stretcher after breaking to pieces in a fall.

Humanoid Robot Half Marathon in Beijing
Staff carry a humanoid robot that crashed after the finish line of the second Beijing E-Town Half Marathon and Humanoid Robot Half Marathon in Beijing, China, April 19, 2026.

Maxim Shemetov / REUTERS

But the progress was striking compared to last year, when most struggled to even finish the race.

Some spectators weren’t worried by the failures.

“I’m very excited,” said Sun Zhigang. “First of all, it’s the first time robots have surpassed humans, and that’s something I never imagined.”

“Their performance is quite impressive,” Jiang Liangzhi said. “I didn’t expect the speeds to be this fast already, and they’re all very stable.”

Runners participating in the second Beijing E-Town Half Marathon take pictures of the Tiangong Ultra 2026 humanoid robot participating in the Humanoid Robot Half Marathon in Beijing, China, April 19, 2026.
People take pictures of the Tiangong Ultra 2026 humanoid robot participating in the Humanoid Robot Half Marathon in Beijing, China, April 19, 2026.

Reuters/Tingshu Wang

Organizers said the marathon isn’t really about speed. It’s about pushing robotics technology beyond the lab with potential applications in manufacturing, logistics and even emergency response.

Chinese companies are pushing ahead with the development of robot technologies for both civilian and military uses, but Beijing’s robot half-marathon shows just how fast the future is moving from science fiction to sporting reality.

Second Beijing E-Town Half Marathon and Humanoid Robot Half Marathon in Beijing
Team members celebrate next to winning robot Lightning during a medial ceremony after the second Beijing E-Town Half Marathon and Humanoid Robot Half Marathon in Beijing, China, April 19, 2026.

Maxim Shemetov / REUTERS

Rep. Max Miller, accused of abuse, will remain in reelection race as withdrawal deadline passes

By CNN
(CNN) — Rep. Max Miller will remain in his race for reelection, despite abuse allegations that have rocked his campaign and prompted growing calls from fellow Republicans for him to drop out.Miller, who has denied the allegations of abuse from his ex-wife, has consistently maintained that he would remain in the race for Ohio’s 7th District. But now that the deadline for party leaders to replace him on the ballot has passed, his position on the ticket is locked in.Miller would have had to drop out by Saturday evening. The deadline for Republican leaders to replace him on the ballot is August 10, but two days’ notice is required before party leaders would hold a meeting to pick the candidate.Miller’s spokesperson told CNN on Sunday that he is remaining in the race.The controversies surrounding Miller, who represents a district in eastern Ohio, threaten to jeopardize his chances of winning what was once thought to be a safe GOP seat, and could imperil Republicans’ chances of maintaining control of the House in this year’s midterms.CNN previously reported that party officials led an intense push to get him out of the race, believing he could imperil the GOP’s chances in the district, according to a source familiar with the matter. Allies of Donald Trump also pushed the president to encourage Miller to drop his reelection bid, CNN has reported, amid the abuse claims and pressure from Miller’s former father-in-law, Sen. Bernie Moreno.Moreno has been increasingly vocal about the issue, saying his fellow Ohioan “should not serve” in Congress and calling him “a danger to my daughter.”The state’s junior Republican senator, Jon Husted, separately called for Miller to abandon his race and to resign from Congress.In an interview on CNN last week, Miller said he had spoken with Trump about his position in the race.Trump, Miller said, told him the race would be “tough” and seemed to express doubt about his chances to win.But Miller remained defiant in the interview that he would remain in the race and clear his name.Emily Moreno accused Miller of abusing both her and her daughter throughout their marriage, which ended last year. The couple’s divorce and child custody dispute have become increasingly public in recent weeks, especially in the light of a combative livestream from Miller last week in which he sought to defend against his ex-wife’s claims.After the livestream, Miller posted on social media a link to a file containing hundreds of messages, pictures and videos exchanged between him and Moreno that he said would exonerate him from claims of mistreating his wife and daughter.But the release of that information generated its own controversy after an attorney for Miller conceded the files inadvertently had contained sensitive details about Miller’s family.Miller is set to face Democrat Brian Poindexter, an ironworker, on November 3.The-CNN-Wire™ & © 2026 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.
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