Beijing Half-Marathon 2025

Humans Outrun Robots in Beijing Half-Marathon

Consensus reporting 1 sources analyzed
The Beijing Half-Marathon 2025, held on April 19, 2025, featured an unprecedented competition between human runners and humanoid robots. The event, which took place in Beijing, saw thousands of human participants competing alongside 21 humanoid robots in a 21-kilometer race. The race showcased a mix of human endurance and robotic innovation. While some robots faced technical difficulties, such as collapsing or colliding with barriers shortly after the start, others managed to complete the course. Notably, the robot Tiangong Ultra, developed by the Beijing Innovation Centre of Human Robotics, finished the race but trailed significantly behind the human competitors. The exact time taken by Tiangong Ultra was not consistently reported across sources. The event highlighted the current limitations of robotic technology in endurance sports compared to human capabilities. Despite the challenges faced by the robots, the competition provided a unique opportunity to observe the advancements in humanoid robotics and their potential for future development. The outcomes of the race underscored the need for further innovation and improvement in robotic design and functionality to match human performance in long-distance running.

Sources Analyzed