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Robots vs humans: Beijing half-marathon delivers stunning result
April 19, 2026
Posted 3 hours ago by
Humanoid robots have beaten human runners in a Beijing half-marathon, marking a breakthrough in China's rapidly advancing robotics industry. More than 100 robots competed alongside 12,000 people in the 21-kilometre race, with three crossing the finish line ahead of any human. The champion robot completed the course in 50 minutes and 26 seconds, surpassing the half-marathon world record, though it required guidance near the end.
The event reflects China's national push to develop autonomous machines for factories, services and homes, with every race generating data to train the next generation of humanoid technology. Al Jazeera's Katrina Yu reports from Beijing. Subscribe to our channel: http://bit.ly/AJSubscribe Follow us on X: https://X.com/AJEnglish Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera Check our website: http://www.aljazeera.com/ Check out our Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/aljazeeraenglish/ Download AJE Mobile App: https://aje.news/AJEMobile #China #Beijing #Robotics #HumanoidRobots #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #TechNews #Innovation #HalfMarathon #SmartTechnology #RobotRace #ManVSMachine #ScienceAndTechnology
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