First humanoid robot half marathon in Beijing, won by Tiangong Ultra

2025-04-19 · Publisher : Beijing E-Town · Domain : Robotics

In Beijing, 21 humanoids started the first half marathon open to robots, alongside about 12,000 runners. Only six finished; X-Humanoid's Tiangong Ultra won in 2 h 40, the only one under the 3 h 10 limit.

### Background On April 19, 2025, Beijing's Economic-Technological Development Area (Beijing E-Town) held the first half marathon open to humanoid robots, alongside the human race. Scheduled for April 13, it was postponed by six days due to strong winds. Robots ran on a course separated from humans for safety reasons. ### Specifications | Item | Detail | |---|---| | Distance | half marathon, about 21 km | | Participants | 21 humanoids, about 12,000 human runners | | Finishers | six robots | | Winner | Tiangong Ultra (Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center, X-Humanoid) | | Time | about 2 h 40, the only robot under the 3 h 10 limit | | Incidents | three battery changes and one fall for the winner | Robots needed extensive human assistance: guidance, battery replacements, cooling sprays and even duct-tape repairs. Many overheated or fell. ### Why it matters The race showed both the progress and the limits of humanoids in 2025: none could yet run a long distance unaided. By turning it into a popular spectacle, China made endurance and reliability public criteria for comparing manufacturers. ### Key takeaways A year later, on April 19, 2026, the next edition brought together more than 300 robots, and the winner, Honor's Lightning, ran faster than the human world record. The progress made in twelve months shows how fast China is moving.

Tags : Humanoïde, Chine, Compétition, Événement