Launched at full speed, some are reminiscent of Jamaican legend Usain Bolt: humanoid robots broke the world human half-marathon record in Beijing on Sunday, illustrating the spectacular Chinese technological advances in the sector.

Spectators lined the roads to watch the machines race, some very fast and almost as complex as a Terminatorrobo, others with much more rudimentary dimensions and performance.

The Yizhuang half-marathon saw robots, standing on their two legs, compete against humans – each group running on a parallel but different track to avoid any collision.

The champion robot, equipped with an autonomous navigation system and representing the Chinese smartphone brand Honor, completed the approximately 21 kilometers in 50 minutes 26 seconds - an average of about 25 km/h - according to state television CCTV.

This is faster than the result of the first human competitor, but above all than the men's world record (57 minutes 20 seconds), held by Ugandan runner Jacob Kiplimo.

- "Cool" -

Behind the security barriers, Han Chenyu, a 25-year-old student wearing a cap and sunglasses, barely has time to pull out her smartphone before a robot has already passed by.

She finds the event "cool" and says she is enthusiastic about the technological advances.

"Afterwards, as a future worker, it worries me quite a bit too. Because if technology goes too fast, it could have repercussions on employment," with the replacement of certain professions by artificial intelligence (AI) and robots, she says.

The progress made during this half-marathon is spectacular compared to the 2025 edition.

At the time, the winning robot had won in three times the time (2 hours 40 minutes and 42 seconds) and numerous falls had marred the event.

The machines operated much more smoothly this year, and the number of participating teams increased from around twenty to over one hundred. This, according to the organizers, is a sign of the growing enthusiasm for the sector.

- Dethroned humans? -

Humanoid robots have become a common sight in China in recent years in the media and public places.

"I think that in three to five years, they will become part of our daily lives" for "household chores, the company of the elderly" or even for "dangerous jobs, like firefighters," says Xie Lei, a 41-year-old spectator who came with his family.

The aim of this half-marathon was to popularize these technologies among the general public and to stimulate innovation.

Proof of the sector's vitality, investments in China in robotics and so-called "embodied" AI had reached 73.5 billion yuan (9.4 billion euros) by the end of 2025, according to a study by an official body.

"For thousands of years, humans have been at the top. But now, look: robots, in terms of autonomous navigation, at least in a sporting event, are starting to surpass us," smiles Xie Lei.

"On one hand, it's a little sad for humanity. But technology, especially in recent years, also opens up so many new horizons for us."