Chinese Humanoid Robots Make History at Beijing Half-Marathon: Complete Race 1.5 Hours Behind Humans

Updated: April 19 2025 21:13
On April 19, 2025, Beijing made technological history as 21 humanoid robots competed alongside thousands of human runners in the Beijing Yizhuang Half Marathon. This groundbreaking event marked the first time robots participated in a competitive 21-kilometer (13.1-mile) race alongside humans, showcasing China's rapid advancement in robotics technology.


From traditional dance performances during Spring Festival galas to serving coffee and providing translation services at trade exhibitions, humanoid robots in China have been evolving at an impressive pace. Their appearance at the Beijing Half Marathon represents a significant milestone in the journey of Chinese robotics.


The race featured diverse robot participants from research institutions like Beijing General Artificial Intelligence Research Institute, universities including Tsinghua University and Beijing Technology and Business University, as well as teams from Shanghai, Guangdong, and Jiangsu provinces.



In the robot category, "Tien Kung Ultra" (天工Ultra) from the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center (北京人形机器人创新中心) claimed victory with a time of 2 hours, 40 minutes, and 42 seconds. This was approximately 2.5 times slower than the human category winner, who finished in 1 hour, 2 minutes, and 36 seconds. While this gap demonstrates that robots still have a long way to go before matching human performance, the successful completion of such a challenging course represents a significant technological milestone.


Standing at 180 centimeters (5'11") tall and weighing approximately 55 kilograms (121 pounds), the imposing "Tien Kung Ultra" had a commanding presence with its large frame and stride. In contrast, the smaller "Little Giant" robot, standing only 75 centimeters tall, had less air resistance and a faster step frequency. The robots showcased various adaptations for the race - some wore running shoes for shock absorption, while others featured exposed designs or wore "sun hats" to improve heat dissipation during the long-distance run.


The second-place finisher, "N2" from Songyan Power (松延动力), had just been released the previous month. Standing at 1.2 meters tall and weighing approximately 29 kilograms, it had previously gained attention for its dynamic back-flip capabilities and its competitive retail price of 39,900 yuan.


The third-place robot, "Walker II" (行者二号) from the Zhongyu Embodied Intelligence Laboratory (中豫具身智能实验室) and Shanghai DroidUp Robot Co. (卓益得机器人), stands 1.7 meters tall but weighs only about 28 kilograms thanks to its tendon-driven bionic lightweight design. It boasted a six-hour dynamic endurance and was the only competitor that completed the race without battery or robot replacement.



The half marathon provided a rigorous test of the robots' capabilities in real-world conditions. The course included both flat terrain and slopes with gradients reaching up to 9 degrees, along with 14 turns exceeding 90 degrees. This variety of challenges required robots to demonstrate exceptional balance, endurance, energy efficiency, and adaptive navigation abilities.

Throughout the race, engineering teams accompanied their robotic athletes, with each machine typically requiring one or two engineers as escorts. Special supply stations were established along the course—not for water or energy gels, but for battery replacements and technical adjustments.

Tien Kung Ultra's team reported that their robot required three battery changes during the race. As the team's chief technology officer Tang Jian explained, "While we could have used longer-lasting batteries to reduce the number of changes, this would have increased the robot's weight, potentially affecting its speed and gait."

The race also showcased advanced technologies beyond mere mechanical movement:

• Instead of remote control, Tien Kung Ultra utilized wireless navigation technology for autonomous following, path planning, and real-time speed and direction adjustments
• Many robots employed multi-modal sensors and specialized control algorithms to maintain stability on varied terrain
• Quick-change battery systems were crucial for maintaining operation throughout the lengthy course

Despite the impressive accomplishments, the race also revealed the current limitations of humanoid robot technology. Many robots experienced difficulties that human runners wouldn't typically face:

• Some robots stumbled and fell immediately after leaving the starting line, requiring human assistance to stand up again
• A robot named "Shennong" veered off course and crashed into barriers, causing its accompanying engineer to fall as well
• Several robots from Unitree Technology (using their G1 model) struggled to perform as expected
• Some machines maintained an extremely slow, cautious pace throughout the course

In response to reports about its robots' performance issues, Unitree Technology released a statement explaining that they hadn't directly participated in the competition. Instead, their G1 robots were being operated by various client teams using their own algorithms, resulting in varying performance levels depending on the operators and developers.



The Beijing Half Marathon event carries significance beyond sports, reflecting China's ambitions in the competitive field of advanced robotics technology. This public demonstration comes amid increasing technological competition between China and the United States, with companies like Figure AI, Tesla, Agility Robotics, and Boston Dynamics rapidly developing advanced AI systems with human-like movements and cognitive abilities.

According to industry projections cited at the event, China's embodied intelligence market is expected to reach 5.295 billion yuan ($730 million) in 2025, representing approximately 27% of the global market. The humanoid robot sector specifically is projected to reach 8.239 billion yuan, accounting for about 50% of global market share.

Xiong Youjun, General Manager of the Beijing Embodied Intelligent Robot Innovation Center, expressed confidence after the race: "China's robotics industry is already in the first tier globally. Our iteration speed, application scenarios, data volume, talent pool, and the degree of effort everyone is putting in are all world-class. I am full of confidence in the development of China's humanoid robot industry."

Some experts view the event primarily as a public relations exercise designed to demonstrate China's technological prowess. Professor Maren Bennewitz, a robotics expert from the University of Bonn, acknowledged that such competitions do test the practical capabilities of humanoid robots:

It's not just a hardware issue; the software must also enable the robot to perceive its surroundings and respond appropriately, whether to terrain or surrounding competitors.

However, others see it as more symbolic in nature. Professor Rixen suggested that "Beijing's half marathon is clearly a PR event aimed at showcasing China's technological capabilities," particularly in the context of the Chinese government's efforts to stimulate the domestic economy and amid increasing technological competition with the United States.



Despite the achievement, industry experts generally believe that humanoid robot technology is still in its early stages, with at least 5-10 years needed for full maturity. Venture capitalists and AI industry figures like Zhu Xiaohu and Fu Sheng have previously expressed concerns about potential bubbles in the humanoid robot industry, suggesting that some companies exist primarily for demonstration purposes without clear commercial paths.

Xiong Youjun emphasized that "China's robotics industry is already in the first tier globally, and our iteration speed, application scenarios, data volume, talent, and level of effort are all among the best in the world. I am full of confidence in the development of China's humanoid robot industry."

He also noted that this competition prepared robots for the next step of entering factory and service scenarios, envisioning a future "human-machine symbiotic" society where robots truly become part of our daily lives. Although the race only demonstrated a small portion of the robots' athletic abilities, teams are actively developing more innovative technologies with more applications to come.

As Li Qingdu, founder of Shanghai DroidUp Robot Co., pointed out, safety remains paramount in actual application scenarios. For now, humanoid robots still require human supervision - each robot in the race needed one or two engineers and possibly a guide to accompany them. The achievement of completing the race was considered more important than winning, as long-distance outdoor movement poses severe tests to robots' stability, structure, and control algorithms.