Beijing: A Chinese humanoid robot has run the 100 metres faster than Usain Bolt’s human world record at the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing.
Tiangong Ultra, developed by the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center, clocked 9.39 seconds in a preliminary heat, beating Bolt’s human record of 9.58 seconds, set at the 2009 World Athletics Championships in Berlin. The robot won its heat after overtaking another humanoid, Honor’s Lightning, near the finish.
The result marked a significant improvement for Tiangong Ultra, which won the 100-metre event at last year’s inaugural World Humanoid Robot Games in 21.50 seconds.
Lightning, developed by Chinese smartphone maker Honor, also recorded a faster-than-Bolt time. It completed 100 meters in 9.32 seconds during a preparatory test for the games and reached a peak speed of 14.5 meters per second, according to reports.
However, robot times are not official human athletics records, as the machines compete in a separate robotics event and are not subject to World Athletics competition rules.
The second edition of the World Humanoid Robot Games features more than 2,000 robots from 16 countries competing in 51 events, including athletics, football, table tennis, weightlifting, and other practical challenges.
The event is being held alongside the 2026 World Robot Conference in Beijing and highlights developments in humanoid robotics, including advances in mobility, artificial intelligence, and robotic control.
The performances also demonstrated some of the current limitations of humanoid robots. Tiangong Ultra veered off course after crossing the finish line, while Lightning fell near the end of its run and had to be removed from the track.
The games are scheduled to continue through August 26, with robots competing across a range of sports and practical tasks.
