On the morning of April 19, the world’s first humanoid robot half marathon officially began in Beijing's Yizhuang area, with 12,000 human runners competing alongside over 20 teams of robots. This unprecedented crossover between technology and sports not only set a new benchmark for long-distance robotic endurance but also sparked widespread social discussion due to a series of dramatic on-track malfunctions.

Ultimately, the humanoid robot “Tiangong Ultra” from Yizhuang claimed victory with a time of 2 hours, 40 minutes, and 42 seconds. Standing 1.8 meters tall, the robot completed the race flawlessly, thanks to its self-developed joint technology, AI vision system, and energy management solution—demonstrating the cutting edge of humanoid robotics.

Runners-up “Little Mischief” and “Walker II” followed with times of 3:37:50 and 4:25:56, respectively. Their perseverance was equally moving: some fell but got back up independently, waited for assistance after battery depletion, or recalculated their routes after deviating—highlighting the real-time challenges and developmental milestones of robotic technology.

This event served not only as a technological showcase but also as a powerful industry catalyst. Yizhuang, already home to more than 300 robotics companies with a collective industrial output exceeding 10 billion yuan, is emerging as a key innovation hub.

With humanoid robots now breaking the 21-kilometer endurance threshold, their applications are rapidly expanding beyond laboratories into real-world scenarios—logistics, medical rehabilitation, home companionship—turning once sci-fi fantasies into reality.