China’s humanoid robots complete the world’s first “half-marathon” for androids

Some of China’s leading humanoid robots lined up against human athletes on Saturday in what organizers called the world’s first half‑marathon for androids.

Only four of the 21 mechanical entrants finished the 13‑mile (20.9‑kilometre) course through the capital’s southern tech hub of E‑Town before the four‑hour cut‑off, race officials said.

Five‑foot‑ten Tiangong Ultra claimed the robotic title, reaching the tape in two hours and 40 minutes — a pace of about five miles an hour and far behind the roughly one‑hour winning time posted by the human gold medallists. The three other bots that completed the distance needed more than three hours.

The marathon was designed to highlight China’s push in artificial intelligence, robotics, and semiconductors, areas promoted by President Xi Jinping’s government amid rising trade tensions with the United States. Saturday’s results, however, were often comic. One robot fell at the start, another lost its head, and a third shattered on the asphalt.

China’s humanoid robots in a marathon. Source: FRANCE 24 English

Organizers set a four‑hour cutoff, and every android that failed to reach the line by then was marked “did not finish.” Midway through, the field was already thinning as motors stalled and joints locked, and the road was soon dotted with technicians dispatched from the trailing shuttle buses.

Tiangong Ultra, built by a Beijing start‑up specially for the event, also stumbled once and required three battery swaps but still led wire to wire. A human instructor, carrying a signalling device on his lower back, ran just ahead so the machine could mirror his movements.

Most rivals relied on human operators with joysticks jogging alongside them; some even used leashes. Two dozen teams set off in waves, each trailed by a mini shuttle bus carrying spare robots, engineers and fresh batteries.

Machines had to look humanoid to enter the marathon

To enter, machines had to look humanoid and run on two legs. Mid‑race battery changes were permitted, as were substitutes, though every replacement added a time penalty. The field varied widely in height, weight, and style.

One towering competitor recalled the Japanese anime hero Gundam and sported fans on its arms. It veered off course and crashed into the barrier separating human and robot lanes. The only female‑styled entry, Huan Huan, wore a mannequin‑like head and Storm Trooper‑type armour but collapsed soon after the gun, scattering pieces across the track. Neither machine resumed.

Little Giant, created by local university students, stood just 75 centimetres (30 inches) tall. It moved at about 1.4 miles per hour and followed spoken commands. Midway, smoke puffed from its head, and it paused. The team had planned to retire the pint‑sized runner after three miles because it was too slow for the full distance.

Jiang Zheyuan, 27, climbed a stool, chanting slogans, and shouted encouragement while his N2 robot crossed second at the line. “The race helped customers find us,” the Tsinghua University dropout told reporters, adding that his firm will deliver 700 units next month at $6,000 each, well under current market prices.

Another N2, running different software, reached the line next but dropped to fourth after officials assessed more than an hour of penalties for three mid‑race substitutes. Team members complained that the rule “had been changed to our disadvantage” and said they intended to file a protest.

Despite the mishaps, organizers pronounced the day a success and hinted at a return engagement. For now, Tiangong Ultra holds the distinction of being the fastest android ever to complete a half‑marathon, even if the human winners had already cooled down by the time the machine finally broke the tape, standing at the finish.

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