China to Host World's First Human-Robot Half-Marathon in April

The groundbreaking race in Beijing will see humanoid robots competing alongside 12,000 human runners over a 21-kilometer course.

The half-marathon, organized by Beijing's Economic-Technological Development Area (E-Town), will feature dozens of humanoid robots from over 20 companies running alongside 12,000 human participants.
Humanoid robots must meet specific criteria, including a bipedal design, a height between 0.5 and 2 meters, and a minimum leg extension of 0.45 meters, with both remote-controlled and autonomous robots eligible to compete.
One of the key participants is 'Tiangong,' a robot capable of running at 10 kilometers per hour, which previously appeared in a race but has never completed a full half-marathon.
The event is part of China's broader push to advance robotics and artificial intelligence, addressing demographic challenges such as an aging population and a shrinking workforce.
Prizes will be awarded to the top three finishers, whether human or robot, with the race set to take place in Beijing's Daxing district this April.