Watch: Runners v robots at China half marathon
Robots competed in a half marathon race in Beijing on Sunday, with the winning machine leaving its human rivals for dust.
Coverage by Political Leaning
See how different sides of the spectrum reported this story
Notable Quotes
"The setting of coefficient aims to guide and encourage the research and development of autonomous navigation, which represents a technological foundation for humanoid robots to be applied in more scenarios in our daily life towards future."
— Liang Liang , Academic
"I feel like technology is advancing so fast that it might start affecting people’s jobs."
— Han Chenyu , Other
"For thousands of years, humans have been at the top on planet Earth. But now, look at robots."
— Xie Lei , Other
Key People
Du Xiaodi is a test development engineer at Honor, a Chinese smartphone maker.
Han Chenyu is a 25-year-old student who attended the race.
Jacob Kiplimo is a Ugandan long-distance runner and a two-time world cross-country champion.
Liang Liang is the deputy secretary-general of the Chinese Institute of Electronics.
Wang Qiaoxia is a Chinese runner who claimed victory in the women's race at the E-Town half-marathon.
Xie Lei is a 41-year-old observer of the race who commented on the impact of robots in daily life.
Zhao Haijie is a Chinese runner who won the men's title at the E-Town half-marathon.
Tags
All Coverage
Robots competed in a half marathon race in Beijing on Sunday, with the winning machine leaving its human rivals for dust.
A humanoid robot developed by Chinese smartphone maker Honor completed a 21-kilometer half-marathon in Beijing in 50 minutes and 26 seconds, surpassing the human world record.
Dozens of Chinese-made humanoid robots showcased their athleticism by surpassing human runners in a half-marathon race in Beijing, highlighting rapid technological progress.
The humanoid robot 'Flash' from Shenzhen Honor Smart Technology Development Co., Ltd. won the 2026 Beijing E-Town half-marathon with a time of 50 minutes and 26 seconds, exceeding the human world record of 57:20.
A humanoid robot developed by Honor completed a half-marathon in Beijing faster than the human world record, marking a significant technological achievement.
A humanoid robot competing against human runners in Beijing's half-marathon broke the world record, completing the 21-kilometer course in 50 minutes and 26 seconds, showcasing China's technological advancements.
China staged a half marathon in Beijing on April 19, 2025, where humanoid robots ran alongside human participants over 21.1km, marking a first for the country's robotics sector.
Similar Stories
Related coverage based on topic and tags
'Rock, paper, scissors' decides order of London Marathon races
A game of rock, paper, scissors is used to determine when the elite female and male races will take place at next year's two-day London Marathon.
September 30, 2026 at 11:05 AMChina's RoboTechnik slides in Hong Kong debut as new listings trade mixed - Reuters
China's RoboTechnik slides in Hong Kong debut as new listings trade mixed Reuters
September 29, 2026 at 01:42 AMAI's race to transform the world before the money runs out - Reuters
AI's race to transform the world before the money runs out Reuters
October 3, 2026 at 05:06 AMChina's AI agents can lie and scheme - just like their US rivals - Reuters
China's AI agents can lie and scheme - just like their US rivals Reuters
September 29, 2026 at 12:57 PMChina has cracked down on AI relationships. Is it ahead of the game?
Beijing has cracked down on AI chatbots that can replicate human relationships. Experts are asking if this is the right thing to do.
September 30, 2026 at 11:25 PMInjured Assefa narrowly misses world record in Berlin
Ethiopian runner Tigst Assefa wins the Berlin Marathon but narrowly misses out on breaking the women's world record because of injury.
September 27, 2026 at 11:14 AM