British students take top prize in global robotics championship

Two British students have claimed the title of Britain's top robotics team following an impressive performance at the VEX Robotics World Championships.

Adil and Kacper secured sixth place overall in the prestigious global contest in St Louis, Missouri, competing against thousands of young engineers representing more than 50 nations.

The competition requires participants to design, construct and programme robots capable of completing a game-based engineering challenge, with tasks such as rapidly collecting and relocating objects within an arena.

Adil reflected on the technical demands of the contest.

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He said: "The biggest challenge was to make sure the mechanisms were very fast."

Construction of their robot, named "Empire", began in November 2025, putting the pair at a significant disadvantage as they were half a year behind competing teams.

Adil added: "Which meant we were six months behind other teams."

Despite this late start, the duo, from St Mary Redcliffe and Temple sixth form centre, dedicated every available moment to the project, working through breaks, free periods and weekends to accumulate more than 1,000 hours on the build.

The Bristol sixth-form students raised £20,000 in funding to finance their ambitious project.

Adil's passion for robotics developed from an early interest in machines, beginning with Lego constructions before progressing to increasingly sophisticated builds.

Their remarkable progress saw the pair triumph in nine regional UK competitions within just four months, earning their place at the world championships.

Notably, Adil and Kacper were the sole state-school representatives from the UK to qualify for the international event.

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Their robot's reliability throughout the gruelling competition earned them special recognition, with the West Country duo receiving the award for producing the most consistent and durable machine at the championships.

The achievement is particularly striking given their compressed preparation timeline, with the students transforming from late starters to national champions in under half a year.

The pair employed computer-aided design (CAD) software to plan their creation before construction began, allowing them to verify dimensions and functionality in advance.

"We just keep testing it until it's perfect," said Adil, describing their meticulous approach.

Rob Shaw, head of sixth form, praised the students' efforts.

He said: "Adil and Casper are amazing students; they've shown tremendous determination and resilience.

"They are a real inspiration for everyone in our school community."

Looking ahead, the duo intend to pass on their expertise by mentoring younger pupils, ensuring the robotics programme continues into the following academic year.

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