An autonomous humanoid, Shandian, was declared champion of a half-marathon in Beijing on Sunday, finishing the 21-kilometre course in Yizhuang in 50:26 and outpacing human competitors. A remote-controlled machine named Lightning crossed the line first in 48:19, but under the event’s weighted scoring rules the prize went to Shandian, which navigated the course without remote control.
Both robot times were faster than the human half-marathon world record of 57:20, set by Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo in Lisbon in March. The performance marks a dramatic improvement from last year’s inaugural event, when the fastest robot needed just over 2 hours and 40 minutes to complete the course.
Thousands of human runners took part alongside robots submitted by roughly 100 companies and research institutions. Organizers separated the robots’ lane from the human course with barriers and designed a route that included more than 10 terrain types — flat stretches, slopes, curves and narrow segments — specifically to test robotic balance, navigation and adaptability.
Not all machines completed the course cleanly: some fell at the start or collided with barriers. Beijing E-Town, one of the event organizers, said about 40% of the entrants ran autonomously while the rest were remotely controlled. A robot also served as a traffic officer on the route, guiding participants with arm gestures and vocal instructions.
The race underscores China’s push to become a global leader in robotics, with authorities supporting local firms through subsidies and infrastructure projects while companies and research teams rapidly advance robotic mobility and autonomy.