IMAGE: Tiangong Ultra wins the race. Photographs: Tingshu Wang/Reuters
On Saturday, April 19, 2025, the world's first Humanoid Robot Half Marathon was held alongside the annual Beijing E-Town Half Marathon in the Yizhuang economic-technological development Area.
This race featured 21 humanoid robots competing on a 21.1 kilometre course parallel to over 12,000 human runners.
The robots were accompanied by human trainers, some of whom had to physically support the machines during the race.
The winning robot was Tiangong Ultra, from the Beijing Innovation Center of Human Robotics, with a time of 2 hours and 40 minutes.
The men's winner of the race had a time of 1 hour and 2 minutes.
IMAGE: Humanoid robot Tiangong participates in the E-Town Half Marathon.
IMAGE: A robot is supported by an engineer after it fell at the starting line.
IMAGE: An engineer falls as the robot Shennong crashes into a barrier during the race.
IMAGE: Support engineers run -- or is it amble? -- with the robot Noetix N2.
IMAGE: An engineer supports robot Unitree G1 during the race.
IMAGE: Engineers run with the robot Ti5 T170.
IMAGE: Robot Mini Hi participates with a pair of sneakers.
IMAGE: Engineers run with the robot 0306 Little Giant.
IMAGE: Engineers run with a robot, here and below.
IMAGE: Spectators interact with Noetix N2 after it finished in second place.
Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff
Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff
