Humanoid robots beat Usain Bolt's 100-metre sprint record in Beijing
More than 2,000 humanoid robots competed at Beijing's Olympic speed skating arena, where the Chinese-developed Tiangong Ultra clocked 9.39 seconds in the 100-metre dash and 38.15 seconds over 400 metres.
Track records in Beijing
More than 2,000 humanoid robots gathered at Beijing's Olympic speed skating arena for the five-day World Humanoid Robot Games. Now in its second year, the tournament features 51 separate events and 30 sports disciplines, including athletics, football, boxing, high jump, martial arts, and table tennis. The competitive programme opened on Saturday with track sprints, where a headless white robot named Tiangong Ultra completed the 100-metre sprint in 9.39 seconds, according to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV. That mark surpassed the 9.58-second benchmark set by Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt in 2009. In an earlier test run, a robot developed by smartphone manufacturer Honor covered the 100-metre track in 9.32 seconds. On the second day of competition, Tiangong Ultra lowered the human 400-metre standard by nearly five seconds, clocking an initial time of 38.16 seconds that officials later revised to 38.15 seconds.
- Honor robot (test run)
- 9.32 s
- Tiangong Ultra
- 9.39 s
- Usain Bolt (2009)
- 9.58 s
Competition schedule and mechanical hurdles
Tiangong Ultra was developed by the Beijing Innovation Centre of Humanoid Robotics, a research facility backed by the local municipal government. During its 400-metre run, the white-shelled machine swayed and thrashed its arms side to side before crossing the finish line without falling. Other competitors experienced mechanical failures across the opening weekend. Multiple robotic runners failed to depart from the starting line, while others crumbled onto the track immediately after the starting gun or moved forward at little more than walking speed. In the boxing tournament, one humanoid competitor staggered into the corner ropes and remained motionless until technicians removed it from the ring. On the soccer pitch, toddler-sized robots kicked balls over knee-high perimeter barriers, and one unit performed footballer Cristiano Ronaldo's celebratory pose.
- Tiangong Ultra clocks 9.39 seconds in the 100-metre sprint during the opening ceremony
- Tiangong Ultra completes the 400-metre race in 38.15 seconds on the second day of competition
Practical deployment and public response
In addition to sporting disciplines, the event schedule requires humanoids to perform industrial and logistics tasks, including connecting electrical cables and handling parcels. The Chinese tournament serves as a public demonstration of domestic robotics capabilities during ongoing technological competition with the United States. Technical experts observing the games stated that humanoid units remain largely confined to research environments, demonstrations, and entertainment exhibitions, with everyday commercial deployment still facing hurdles. Spectators in Beijing contrasted the machines' physical acceleration with practical domestic assistance. Hou Yali, a 72-year-old retired resident who pays contractors for weekly cleaning and cooking, attended the arena competitions and called for direct human-versus-machine races.
We'll be able to see more clearly whether machines can surpass humans.
Hou emphasized that running speeds do not equate to the cognitive capabilities required for home care.
Right now, this is just running, just a competition of speed. It's not a test of intelligence or hiring someone to do household tasks or act as live-in help.
