What do you get when you mix long-distance running with sci-fi? Beijing just found out.
In a surreal twist to the Yizhuang half-marathon, 21 humanoid robots lined up alongside thousands of human runners for the first-ever 21km race featuring both flesh and circuit board.
They came in all shapes, sizes, and even personalities.
One flashed a wink, another wore boxing gloves, and a third had a red headband boldly declaring “Bound to Win.”
Built by Chinese tech giants like DroidVP and UBTech, these bots weren’t just for show.
They trained for weeks, guided by human handlers—some even sporting sneakers for the big day.
One spectator, AI expert He Sishu, summed it up: “I feel I’m witnessing the evolution of robots and AI.”
The Robotic Champ?
Tiangong Ultra, clocking in at 2 hours 40 minutes—impressive, though still behind the human winner’s 1 hour 2.
Developers credited its long legs and human-inspired running algorithm, with a few mid-race battery swaps for good measure.
Of course, not all bots shined.
One fell flat at the start, another crashed into a railing.
Still, it’s clear China’s pushing hard to turn robotics into the next industrial revolution.
