For the first time in the world, dozens of humanoid robots participated in a half marathon race alongside thousands of human runners. With close supervision, battery swaps, and an aim to outpace the West this is no longer science fiction, but a future racing toward us at dizzying speed. The internet, of course, did not remain indifferent.
What looked like a scene from a futuristic movie took place yesterday: all robots get to the start and ran alongside the human participants. It was phenomena for the first time in the world, an “hybrid” sports event took place where advanced androids shared the track with humans, each in a fenced lane under the watchful eyes of operators, engineers, and technical staff.
The race took place in a technology-focused region of Beijing, where several leading high-tech companies are located. The robots, coming from development labs of universities, startups, and government companies, demonstrated impressive stability, balance, and motion algorithms.
However, they were not alone on the track: almost all were accompanied by humans, either from a distance or closely while some models needed remote assistance via remote control, and some were held on a leash to prevent falls. Social media, of course, did not remain indifferent to the unusual sight.
Not fast, but smart
The big winner in the robot competition was the Tiangong Ultra, a 1.80-meter model developed by Beijing’s Humanoid Robotics Innovation Center. It completed the course in two hours and forty minutes an important technological achievement, even if far from the times of human runners. For comparison, the human winner finished the half marathon in one hour and two minutes.
Like all the robots in the race, Tiangong did not rely solely on mechanical movements: it ran using an algorithm that learned how a real human moves during long-distance running. During the race, the robot made three stops for battery changes a technological version of water stations for human runners. Additionally, the race rules allowed replacing the robot in case of malfunction, though each replacement carried a ten-minute time penalty.
Race between countries, not just machines
Beyond the technological vision, this was also a global statement. China has been aiming to surpass the United States in humanoid robotics. While models like Atlas from Boston Dynamics gain global attention, Chinese developers seek to prove that they are not only catching up but already leading.
In an official policy published in 2023, China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology defined the field of humanoid robots as “a new technological frontier” and set an ambitious goal: by 2025, these robots will enter mass production with independent supply chains and core components made in China.
Recently, videos of Chinese robots riding bicycles, performing capoeira kicks, dancing, and even doing somersaults went viral. Chinese media, including government outlets, promote this image as part of a broad economic plan recognizing robotics as a growth engine for the coming decades.
Humanity leads for now
Despite the impressive achievement, it seems early to panic the robots struggled to keep pace with humans, needed constant support, and sometimes even stalled mid-way. Moreover, many human runners stopped to take photos of the robots, indicating that they were more of an attraction than a real competition.
In any case, the Beijing race highlights the growing role of robots in our lives not only in laboratories or test tracks but in the field. Humanoid robots are already used in warehouse logistics, service robots in hotels and airports, and therapeutic robots in hospitals and nursing homes. Even in security, police and military forces are testing humanoid robots capable of navigating and functioning in dangerous environments. This race is therefore not just a technological demonstration, but another step toward integrating robots as an essential part of modern life.