More than 12,000 people and 21 humanoid robots gathered in Beijing on Saturday morning to compete in a half-marathon.
Yes, robots.
Machine battled muscle across 13 miles during the 2025 Beijing E-Town Half Marathon and Humanoid Robot Half Marathon, which organizers said was the first of its kind.
The participating robots raced in a separate lane from humans and came in different designs.
Noetix Robotics showed off the N2, an over 40-pound humanoid robot about 3 feet tall. Unitree Robotics entered its G1 model, which weighs nearly 80 pounds and stands over 4 feet tall. Another robot running in the race featured a woman’s face. Engineers or human handlers accompanied the robots.
The People’s Government of Beijing Municipality said on its website that the robotic marathoners underwent “intensive training, ” including “late-night endurance drills,” ahead of the race.
During a March press conference, Li Quan, deputy head of the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area, said the robots were given about three and a half hours to finish the course.
He added that robots could win prizes in three categories: race completion, best endurance, and most popular robot.
Although the human-humanoid half-marathon is a feat, not every robot rose to the occasion. Footage obtained by Reuters showed one robot falling over at the start line while another crashed into a railing and sent its human operator to the ground.
According to The Wall Street Journal, a robot called “Huanhuan” ran in the wrong direction at times before sitting on the ground and refusing to stand.
One robot rose above the rest: Tien Kung Ultra, designed by Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center, became the first humanoid robot to cross the finish line in 2 hours and 40 minutes, the Journal reported.
Li said he hoped the event would be recognized as more than a fun weekend spectacle.
“We hope that this event will not only showcase achievements in the humanoid robotics industry but also spark discussions and deepen the public’s understanding of robot capabilities, which will help accelerate industry development,” he said in March.
Technological developments, like AI, have allowed humanoid robots to evolve rapidly in recent years. Some companies like Mercedes-Benz and BMW have even partnered with humanoid robot companies to test robots on factory lines, though very few of these robots have been deployed worldwide.
Some in the tech sector consider China to be ahead of the United States in the humanoid robot race, pointing to events like the 2025 Spring Festival Gala in Beijing, which featured 16 AI-powered humanoid robots developed by Unitree, a Chinese company, dancing to traditional folk music with elaborate choreography alongside human dancers.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk, whose company manufactures its own humanoid robot, once said he believed humanoids would outnumber humans by 2040.
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