Two-time Olympic champion runs in Brazil with the smartwatch he helped create
BRASILIA, Brazil, July 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- For decades, elite racing relied on highly precise positioning and professional full-marathon modes — advantages strictly reserved for professional teams. To nail accurate pace tracking and stable full-race monitoring, runners once depended on sophisticated professional gear and dedicated coaching support; reliable, lab-level positioning and endurance data were truly only accessible to elite athletes. With the HUAWEI WATCH GT Runner 2, Huawei has brought professional-grade GPS accuracy and dedicated full-marathon modes to every course: steady, high-precision positioning in real races, reliable full-process monitoring throughout 42.195 km, refined through real-world racing and endorsed by the greatest marathon runner of all time.
Eliud Kipchoge, a marathon legend and two-time Olympic champion, serves as the smartwatch's global ambassador and played a direct role in its development alongside the high-performance team at dsm-firmenich. The Kenyan athlete embarked on Eliud's Running World, a two-year journey to run a marathon on each of the seven continents, with the goal of inspiring more active lifestyles around the world.
The second stop of the tour brings him back to a special place: Porto Alegre, on July 12, during the NB42K Porto Alegre. It was on Brazilian soil that Kipchoge won his first Olympic gold medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics, making this return particularly symbolic. "Each continent has its own spirit, and I want to share this journey with South America while inspiring people to believe that no human is limited," said the athlete.
What Kipchoge will put to the test in Porto Alegre is exactly what any runner can purchase today. The HUAWEI WATCH GT Runner 2 is designed to democratize sports science for runners of all levels.
One of the smartwatch's most innovative features is its Intelligent Marathon mode, which supports tracking for a wide range of World Athletics‑labeled races and guides athletes through preparation, race day, and recovery.
For instance, the device includes a virtual pacer that calculates pace deviations in real time, displaying an on‑screen avatar that shows runners the exact pace needed to hit their targets, kilometer by kilometer. In elite marathons, this level of support has typically been reserved for professional athletes; with the GT Runner 2, it is now available to everyone. For Kipchoge, it will serve as a tool to fine‑tune his race strategy on Porto Alegre's fast and flat course. For recreational runners, it means knowing precisely when to push harder and maintain pace.
Eliud Kipchoge wore the HUAWEI WATCH GT Runner 2 during the Porto Alegre Marathon, symbolizing the fusion of elite athletic performance and technological innovation. This has brought a device developed with insights from one of the greatest athletes in the history of the sport to runners worldwide. Importantly, he validated the watch's performance with his own pace: its accurate data and comprehensive features are not just lab‑tested — they are real‑world proven, personally tested by the legend.
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From the Lab to the Road: How Training Science Arrives in Brazil with the HUAWEI WATCH GT Runner 2
HONG KONG, July 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- U Power Limited today announced that HYDRO DATA, the Company's hydrogen-powered energy solutions and data center infrastructure venture, was invited to participate in Data Center Asia (DCA) 2026, where it delivered a keynote speech and joined a high-level industry panel discussion on next-generation energy solutions for AI data centers.
As one of the leading data center and digital infrastructure events in the Asia-Pacific region organized by Informa Markets, DCA 2026 gathered more than 200 exhibitors, over 8,000 professional attendees, and more than 60 industry forums covering AI computing, cloud infrastructure, digital infrastructure, and energy technologies, providing an important platform for global data center ecosystem participants.
At the event, Mr. Jia Li, Founder and Chairman of U Power and CEO of HYDRO DATA, delivered a keynote speech titled "Hydrogen-Powered AI Data Centers: A New Business Paradigm – Balancing Economic Viability, Environmental Sustainability and Long-Term Resilience." He shared insights on the growing power demands of AI-driven data centers and how hydrogen-powered solutions can support sustainable and resilient digital infrastructure development.
Mr. Li also participated in the panel discussion "Enabling AI Data Centers with Advanced Power and Energy Solutions," together with industry leaders including Virat Patel, Managing Director of Pioneer Consulting Asia-Pacific; Ben Boudreau, Chief Technology Officer of Zerra DC; and Anthony Ho, Director of Product & Solution Marketing at Equinix. The discussion highlighted that rapidly increasing AI workloads are creating significant challenges for traditional power infrastructure, making reliable, scalable, and low-carbon energy solutions increasingly critical for future data center growth.
This industry trend aligns with U Power's strategic vision that energy infrastructure will become a key factor determining the development of AI computing infrastructure. As global AI adoption accelerates, data centers require power solutions that provide reliability, rapid deployment, cost efficiency, and sustainability.
In response to this market opportunity, U Power established HYDRO DATA in May 2026 together with industry partners, with strategic investment from the Charoen Pokphand Group ("CP Group") family, to develop hydrogen-powered energy infrastructure solutions for next-generation AI data centers. Since its establishment, HYDRO DATA has secured a letter of intent for a data center energy infrastructure project in Rayong, Thailand. The project is planned with a total IT load capacity of 100MW, with a 3MW demonstration phase already underway.
HYDRO DATA utilizes advanced Proton Exchange Membrane ("PEM") hydrogen fuel cell technology and modular deployment capabilities to provide stable, continuous, and low-carbon power solutions for data centers. Compared with conventional power generation solutions, PEM fuel cell systems offer advantages including faster deployment, high energy efficiency, reduced emissions, and enhanced energy independence, helping data centers address power supply constraints while meeting ESG and carbon reduction objectives.
"Since securing the 100MW data center energy infrastructure project opportunity in Rayong, Thailand, HYDRO DATA has continued to receive recognition from the global data center industry through invitations to participate in leading forums and discussions," said Mr. Jia Li, CEO of HYDRO DATA. "The AI era requires not only greater computing capacity, but also a more flexible, reliable, and sustainable energy ecosystem. HYDRO DATA is committed to advancing hydrogen fuel cell technology and intelligent energy management solutions to support the future growth of global digital infrastructure."
Looking ahead, U Power will continue leveraging its expertise in new energy infrastructure, intelligent energy management, and global market expansion, together with the strategic resources of the CP Group family, to accelerate the deployment of HYDRO DATA's hydrogen-powered energy solutions across the Asia-Pacific region and global markets.
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U Power's HYDRO DATA Showcases Hydrogen Power Solutions at Data Center Asia 2026 Through Keynote Speech and Industry Panel Discussion
