China stages first half-marathon featuring humanoid robots vs humans
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Although humanoid robots have made cameos at Chinese marathons in the last year, this is the first time they have competed alongside humans.
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Robots take part in what is billed as the world's first robot half-marathon during the Humanoid Robot Half-Marathon held in Beijing, China, on April 19, 2025 (AP)
Twenty-one humanoid robots competed Saturday with thousands of runners in Beijing's Yizhuang half-marathon, marking the first time these machines ran alongside humans over a 21-kilometer route.
Chinese firms such as DroidVP and Noetix Robotics produced robots of diverse forms and sizes, with some measuring less than 1.2m and others reaching 1.8m.
One business claimed its robot resembled a person, having feminine features and the capacity to wink and grin.
Some companies tested their robots for weeks before the competition. Beijing officials have compared the event to auto racing, citing the requirement for technical and navigation teams.
One spectator who works in AI expressed that "robots are running very well, very stable … I feel I’m witnessing the evolution of robots and AI."
Several of the robots donned running shoes, one wore boxing gloves, and another wore a red headband with the inscription "Bound to Win" in Chinese.
Tiangong Ultra from the Beijing Innovation Centre of Human Robotics finished first in 2 hours and 40 minutes.
The men's winner of the event finished in 1 hour and 2 minutes. Two state-owned firms hold 43% of the center, while tech giant Xiaomi's robotics arm and prominent Chinese humanoid robot manufacturer UBTech each possess an equal part.
Tang Jian, the robotics center's chief technical officer, said Tiangong Ultra's performance was boosted by lengthy legs and an algorithm that allows it to mimic how people run a marathon.
“I don’t want to boast but no other robotics firms in the West have matched Tiangong’s sporting achievements,” Tang added, noting that the robot's batteries were exchanged three times during the race.
Some robots struggled from the start. One collapsed at the starting line, lying down for a few minutes before standing up and going off. Another smashed into a railing after only a few yards, knocking its human operator down.
Although humanoid robots have made cameos at Chinese marathons in the last year, this is the first time they have competed alongside humans. China hopes that investing in frontier sectors such as robotics would help to generate new engines of economic growth.
