On April 19, 2026, the Beijing Yizhuang Half Marathon and Humanoid Robot Half Marathon were held in Beijing. One of the most anticipated robots, the Yushu H1 robot, lost balance on the track and fell, being carried out on a stretcher by staff. Another competing robot, the Glory robot “Thunder,” lost balance near the finish line and crashed into the guardrail… These incidents sparked discussions online.
The event, jointly organized by the Beijing Municipal Government and CCTV on April 19, officially started at 7:30 a.m. Over 100 teams of robots from 13 provinces and municipalities across the country started from Keji 17th Street and finished at Nanhaizi Park, covering a total distance of 21.0975 kilometers.
During the race, the Yushu H1 robot, which had attracted considerable attention, suddenly lost control on the track, swaying and stumbling, leading to a fall. The audience at the scene was tense as the staff used a stretcher to lift it off the track. The H1 robot was considered a popular contender in the previous qualifying races.
Not only did the Yushu robot fall, but also just a few meters from the finish line, the sprinting Glory robot “Thunder” suddenly lost balance, fell, and crashed into the guardrail, leaving the audience and staff breathless.
After a brief pause, with the assistance of the staff, the red-painted robot got up and continued to sprint, becoming the first robot to complete the race.
The above incidents have sparked heated discussions among netizens, making it a trending topic online.
Some netizens pointed out that robots are not humans, and seeing them fall and needing a stretcher and human help to get up shows a different perspective on the machines.
A netizen with the username “GoblinTechShocksHearts9063” commented: “I see a hint of sadness in the robots.”
Public information indicates that Yushu Technology, formally known as “Yushu Technology Co., Ltd.,” was established on August 26, 2016, with its headquarters located in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province.
On March 20, 2026, according to the official website of the Shanghai Stock Exchange, the Shanghai Stock Exchange accepted the IPO application of Yushu Technology Co., Ltd. for the Science and Technology Innovation Board.