Watch: Futuristic robots wow crowd at Dubai Mallathon morning run
Crown Prince’s initiative turns malls into sports pathways
DUBAI’s new fitness initiative, the ‘Dubai Mallathon’, got a futuristic upgrade on Saturday as the Unitree humanoid robot and a robodog joined morning runners at Mirdif City Centre.
Videos circulating on social media captured the scene, showing the robot sprinting alongside fitness enthusiasts, waving to spectators, and even shaking hands with participants.
Many paused their runs to take selfies with the unexpected guests.
Robots join Dubai Mallathon
The humanoid robot, recently in the spotlight for meeting Dubai Ruler His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, has been spotted across the city in recent weeks. It was previously seen running on Dubai streets in a viral clip, where it navigated a crossing before continuing its pace along a sidewalk.
Earlier this week, Sheikh Mohammed watched a live demonstration of the Unitree G1 at the Union House. The agile, lightweight model, developed by Dubai Future Labs, is designed to move with human-like precision.
It will soon join the Museum of the Future’s interactive exhibits, greeting visitors and highlighting the latest in robotics and artificial intelligence.
Where is Dubai Mallathon being held?
The Dubai Mallathon, launched by Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, transforms malls into walking and running tracks for the month of August.
From 7am to 10am daily, participants can take part across seven major malls, including Dubai Mall, Dubai Hills Mall, City Centre Deira, City Centre Mirdif, Mall of the Emirates, Dubai Marina Mall, and The Springs Souk.