Over more than 20 kilometers, robots had to maintain balance, regulate joint temperatures, optimize battery usage, and adapt to changing terrain. In engineering terms, it was an endurance test across multiple failure modes.

Apart from Lightning, a group of other robots also completed the course in under an hour, a dramatic leap from last year's win time of more than two and a half hours.

In fact, humanoid robots have caught wide attention from both the public and investors in recent years. This year's Spring Festival Gala saw an amazing performance from several humanoid robots, while the Zhongguancun Forum in March demonstrated the latest technology concerning embodied intelligence.

Yan said: "The Spring Festival Gala demonstrated that robots could be controlled and visually impressive. The half marathon, by contrast, proved their reliability and endurance."

He said that on a stage, repeated rehearsals can deliver a one-off flawless performance. But in real-world conditions, where unexpected variables are constant, it is a completely different challenge.

"Completing a half marathon means robots now possess the baseline capability to enter industrial environments," he added.

As Chinese robots begin to compete at scale in extreme tests like the half marathon and deliver strong results, they are effectively setting new industry benchmarks, he emphasized.

Noting that this year's event drew teams from Germany, France, Portugal, and Brazil, which signals growing international engagement, Yan said that China is no longer a follower in humanoid robots, but is beginning to influence how the game rule is set.

According to the 2025 humanoid robot market research report released by CCID Media, a division of the China Center for Information Industry Development, China had more than 140 humanoid robot manufacturers in 2025, with total shipments reaching 14,400 units, accounting for 84.7 percent of the global market.

US companies including Tesla, Boston Dynamics, and a wave of startups are developing humanoid systems, often emphasizing general purpose capabilities. Tesla's Optimus project, for instance, aims to deploy robots in factories as a first step toward broader use. Boston Dynamics continues to refine mobility and dexterity, albeit with a focus that has not yet fully shifted to humanoid form.