More than 300 humanoid robots will join human runners for the second consecutive year in a Beijing half-marathon on April 19.
Liu Weiliang, deputy director-general and spokesman of the Beijing Bureau of Economy and Information Technology said at press conference on Monday that The 2026 Humanoid Robot Half Marathon has attracted 76 institutions from 13 provincial-level regions, according to China Daily.
Liu said participation has increased nearly fivefold from the previous race, with more than 80 corporate teams and over 20 teams from universities and training camps. A total of 26 robot brands and more than 300 humanoid robots are expected to compete.
For the first time, the event will include an autonomous navigation group, accounting for 38% of participating teams, alongside a remote-control group.
The race will take place alongside the 2026 Beijing E-Town half-marathon, with robots running on the same course as human participants.
Ahead of the main event, a new sub-event titled the Robot “Baturu” Challenge will be held on April 18, featuring 17 obstacle-based tasks designed to test stability, agility and performance in complex environments, including simulated disaster scenarios.
On March 14, more than 20 teams joined a trial run to test preparations, according to CGTN.
Experts said the event reflects broader progress in China’s robotics sector. Wang Peng, an associate research fellow at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, told Global Times that the competition signals a shift from human-assisted operation toward greater autonomy, as well as deeper collaboration across the industry.
In last year’s race, only six of 21 humanoid robots completed the course, with many dropping out due to breakdowns, overheating or mechanical issues. The winning robot, “Tiangong Ultra,” finished the 21-kilometer course in 2 hours and 40 minutes, within the human qualifying benchmark of 3 hours and 10 minutes.
Originally written by: Phong Ngo
Source: VnExpress
Published on: 25 March 2026
Link to original article: Over 300 humanoid robots to compete in China half-marathon in April
