The world’s first humanoid half-marathon took place on Saturday in Beijing. The event, which combines technology and sport, attracted 20 teams from Chinese universities and enterprises, as well as research institutions. Around 12,000 humans ran alongside the robots in the race.
Tiangong Robot Ultra developed by the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center won the race after completing the 21-kilometer track in two hours and 40 minutes.
What’s important: This race was meant to be a turning point for humanoid robotics, pushing core technology such as joint heat tolerance and environmental perception under different conditions. Some robots did not perform as expected, raising concerns about commercialization. Embodied AI remains a promising sector for China in the long term, despite challenges related to cost, energy efficiency and reliability.
Details : The robot track ran parallel, but separate, from the human track. The race was livestreamed by CCTV the state-owned broadcaster, on Weibo, a Chinese social media platform.
- Teams were allowed to change batteries or hand the baton over to backup robots. However, a 10-minute penalty was applied. The course was designed to test the robots’ ability to adapt and maintain stability. It included flat ground, nine-degree slopes, gravel and grass.
- Tiangong Ultra was developed by the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center jointly established by UBTECH and Xiaomi, as well as other partners. It took first place. The model, which stands 1.8 meters high and weighs 55 kilograms can reach a maximum speed of 12 km/h. According to the company, its lightweight design, integrated joints and air-cooling systems help manage joint heat during long-distance running. Tiangong Ultra completed its 21-kilometer course with three battery swaps. Unitree Robotics clarified that it did NOT participate in the race in response to the controversy surrounding the performance of the G1 robot at the half-marathon. One of the many viral clips of the event was a video of a G1 robot collapsing right at the start of the race.
- Some third-party teams operated a robot that fell at the beginning due to mishandling. Unitree Robotics said that their firm has not participated in any robot competitions recently, as it is currently focusing on a livestream humanoid robot battle project. The company explained that these events require months of planning and due to ongoing R&D and business, it did not form an official team.
The context is: Unitree Robotics received a lot of attention in January after its humanoid H1 performed at the 2025 CCTV Spring Festival Gala. The robots demonstrated their agility and coordination during a dance segment. This was the first time that many viewers had seen Chinese robots perform in mainstream.
- Between late April and early may, the firm will launch the first humanoid robotic combat livestream in the world. It hopes to show off its robots’ advanced moves such as side flips and boxing.
Jessie Wu, a Shanghai-based tech reporter, is a member of the
team. She covers the gaming, semiconductor and consumer electronics industries for TechNode. Connect with her via e-mail: jessie.wu@technode.com. More by Jessie Wu
