Tech Desk 
Apr 20, 2025
An undated image. — Pexels
In a bizarre yet remarkable event proving China's unmatched progress in the realm of robots, over 20 humanoid robots raced against thousands of human runners in a half-marathon in Beijing.
AFP reported that the humanoid robots made it to the Beijing streets early Saturday in the world's first half-marathon, a 21-kilometre (13-mile) race.
The event was organised in the Chinese capital’s E-Town, which is a hub of technological manufacturing backed by the Chinese government. It marked the commencement of a groundbreaking inspection of the capabilities of bipedal robots in real-world settings.
“Getting onto the race track might seem like a small step for humans, but it’s a giant leap for humanoid robots,” Liang Liang, Beijing E-Town’s management committee deputy director.
“The marathon helps push humanoid robots one step closer toward industrialisation,” he added.
The first steps of the Chinese humanoid robots, following the starter’s gun shot, were purportedly taken with uncertainty, with their immensely curious human counterparts, queued up on their side of the road.
Some of these machines ran fully autonomously, while others were remotely controlled by engineers. Both machines and humans were running on their designated tracks.
One robot, smaller than the rest, tripped several times and lay over on the ground, but, to the surprise of the spectators, it got up by itself.
Around 20 teams participated in the competition from across China, with robots' heights ranging from 75 to 180 centimetres (2.46 to 5.9 feet) and weights up to 88 kilograms (194 pounds).
