The world's first humanoid robot half-marathon champion "Tiangong Ultra"

TMTPOST — In a historic debut blending robotics, endurance, and real-world testing, "Tiangong Ultra" — a humanoid robot developed by the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center — emerged victorious in the world's first robot half-marathon.

Clocking in at 2 hours, 40 minutes, and 42 seconds, the robot outpaced 19 competitors over the 21.1-kilometer course, underscoring the accelerating pace of China's humanoid robotics race.

The event, part of a larger human-robot co-marathon in Beijing with over 12,000 human runners, served as both a public showcase and a stress test for real-world performance. While no robot matched human elite speeds — the top human finished in just over an hour — the race gave industry players a critical opportunity to test navigation, endurance, thermal management, and AI control in an uncontrolled environment.

Tiangong Ultra is backed by a consortium of Chinese tech leaders, including Xiaomi Robotics, UBTECH, Jingcheng Mechanical and Electrical, and Fourier Intelligence. Its success aligns with China's broader push to become a global leader in embodied intelligence, with humanoid robotics seen as a strategic frontier on par with AI chips and electric vehicles.

UBTECH, which also operates the Innovation Center, launched its commercial "Tiangong Walker" model just days before the race, with a starting price of 299,000 yuan ($41,000). The robot is positioned for use in smart manufacturing, education, and home services — sectors Beijing is actively targeting in its 14th Five-Year Plan and Made in China 2025 strategy.

Industry executives say the real market is just beginning to form. "We're entering the pre-explosion phase for humanoid robotics," said UBTECH CTO Xiong Youjun. "Events like this are more than PR — they're about data, iteration, and proving that robots can function in the messy, unpredictable human world."

The Chinese humanoid robotics market is expected to reach 2.4 billion yuan ($331 million) by 2025, according to research firm Zhiyan. Over 188,000 new robotics-related companies were registered in China in 2024 alone, bringing the total number of active players to over 800,000. Globally, Goldman Sachs projects the humanoid robotics sector could balloon to $3.8 billion by 2035 — with mass-market entry possible within the next decade.

Still, challenges remain. Several robots in the marathon stumbled, overheated, or failed to complete the course due to issues with joint precision, power consumption, and sensor calibration — highlighting the technological gap that remains before widespread deployment.

But the momentum is undeniable. With Tesla, Agility Robotics, and Boston Dynamics pushing U.S. and Western efforts, China's public-private model — featuring deep government involvement, shared IP platforms, and integration with industrial policy — offers a distinct competitive advantage.

Ultimately, industry leaders say humanoid robots aren't just about replacing labor — they're about creating an entirely new layer of AI-physical interface. "The goal is not just bipedal robots," said a government-affiliated researcher at the event. "It's an embodied intelligence ecosystem — from factories to elderly care to urban logistics."

As Tiangong Ultra crossed the finish line, it wasn't just a win for one robot — it was a signal that China is running a much longer race in tech dominance. And it's picking up pace.