China staged a half marathon in Beijing on 19 April 2025 in which humanoid robots ran alongside human participants over 21.1km, in a first for the country’s robotics sector. Spectators, including many families, lined the route to watch the event, held in the E-Town technology zone and designed to test machines under real-world conditions.
Around 20 robots took part, among them the winning model Tiangong Ultra, which completed the course in 2 hours, 40 minutes and 42 seconds. Organisers said the race marked a shift from controlled laboratory settings to complex public environments, where machines must adapt to crowds, uneven terrain and changing conditions.
