"Tiangong Ultra" wins world's first-ever humanoid robot half marathon in Beijing

The world's first humanoid robot half marathon took place in Beijing on Saturday, with the "Tiangong Ultra" humanoid robot winning the race after completing the 21.0975-kilometer route in 2 hours, 40 minutes, and 42 seconds.

A total of 20 organizations participated in the event, representing national-level teams, private enterprises, and university research groups. The robots varied widely in technology and design, from the 180-centimeter-tall "Tiangong Ultra" to the 75-centimeter-tall "Little Giant."

The robots were accompanied by human trainers, some of whom physically supported the machines during the race. Teams were allowed to replace batteries, and even swap robots in a relay-style format, during the competition.

"Tiangong Ultra" emerged as the victorious robot, well after the winner of the men's race crossed the finish line in one hour and two minutes.

"During the competition, we faced all sorts of challenging conditions – sharp turns, speed bumps, and potholes. So it's entirely normal for robots to experience technical glitches," said Xiong Youjun, team leader for the "Tiangong Ultra" Humanoid Robot. "Today, despite minor hiccups along the route, our robot ultimately performed admirably. Simply participating in this event and successfully completing a half-marathon is a heroic achievement in itself. I think every team delivered outstanding performances today. This marks the first time in human history that humanoid robots have attempted a half-marathon, which is already a historic milestone in technological evolution."