A non-human race: Beijing half-marathon shows how far robots have come
Published on April 19, 2026.
Chinese-made humanoid robots competed in a half-marathon race in Beijing, demonstrating their rapid technical advances. The number of participating teams increased from 20 to over 100, and several robot frontrunners were significantly faster than professional athletes. Unlike last year's race, nearly half of the robot entrants navigated the tougher terrain autonomously instead of being directed by remote control. The winning robot, developed by Chinese smartphone brand Honor, finished the race in 50 minutes and 26 seconds, several minutes faster than the world record set by Ugandan runner Jacob Kiplimo. The event was seen as a sign of China's progress in robotics, with spectators believing that the future will be dominated by humanoid robots. However, experts warn that the skills on display do not translate to widespread commercialization of humanoid robots in industrial settings.
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