Robots Run Beijing Half Marathon: Humans Reign Supreme
Beijing — April 19, 2025 — The world witnessed the first-ever half marathon featuring both humans adn running robots. In Beijing, Ethiopian athletes faced off against Chinese humanoids, with the human runners taking the victory.While the running, metal competitors participated, they trailed behind their human counterparts. Read on to discover the advancements in running robots.
Robots Run Beijing Half Marathon: Humans Still Reign Supreme
Teh Race Against Time (and Machines)
beijing played host to a unique half marathon where Ethiopian runners faced off against a team of Chinese humanoids. The outcome? A resounding victory for the athletes made of flesh and blood. While dozens of robots participated, mingling among thousands of runners, they lagged considerably behind their human counterparts.
“tiangong Ultra”: The Fastest Robot
The robot leading the pack, Tiangong Ultra,
a metal-black, high-tech device standing 1.80 meters tall and weighing 52 kilograms, completed the approximately 21-kilometer course in 2 hours, 40 minutes, and 42 seconds. This time is comparable to that of a reasonably solid hobby runner.
Human Speed vs. Machine Endurance
Elias Desta, the overall winner, crossed the finish line in 1 hour, 2 minutes, and 36 seconds.This is a considerable distance from the world record of 56 minutes and 42 seconds,set by Jacob Kiplimo of Uganda. These times remain a distant dream for the current generation of running robots and their designers.
Did You Know?
The half marathon is 21.0975 kilometers (13.1 miles) long. It’s a popular distance for runners of all levels, offering a challenging yet achievable goal.
Team Robot’s Perspective
Despite not matching human speeds, the robot team expressed satisfaction with their performance. We had set ourselves three goals: wining the race with a single robot and staying under three hours,
said Tang Jian, chief technology officer of the beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center, after Tiangong’s triumph.
Mimicking Human Performance
The team aimed to replicate the performance of elite runners by feeding the robot data from top athletes. So we wanted to get as close as possible to profile runners in terms of cadence, stride length and other parameters,
Tang explained.
China’s Investment in AI
China is heavily investing in the progress of artificial intelligence, both in software and hardware. The state is actively involved in the Beijing Humanoid robot Innovation Center, signaling a long-term commitment to advancing robotics.
Pro Tip:
Improving your running cadence can help you run faster and reduce your risk of injury. try to aim for around 170-180 steps per minute.
