Chinese humanoid robots outrun Usain Bolt's 100-meter mark at Beijing games

Sprint times beat human world records

The second edition of the World Humanoid Robot Games opened on Saturday in Beijing, starting a five-day competition that pairs athletic events with workplace benchmarks. In the preliminary heats of the 100-meter sprint, the humanoid machine Tiangong Ultra, developed by the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center, won its heat in 9.39 seconds. Tiangong Ultra trailed early before overtaking the robot Lightning, built by consumer electronics maker Honor, near the finish line. Lightning completed the sprint in 9.47 seconds. Both machines finished faster than Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt's human world record of 9.58 seconds, established at the 2009 World Athletics Championships in Berlin. During prior testing reported by state media, Lightning recorded a 100-meter time of 9.32 seconds and reached a maximum speed of 14.5 meters per second.

Collision hazards and hardware strain

The sprint results represented a large speed increase compared to the inaugural 2025 competition, where Tiangong Ultra took first place with a time of 21.50 seconds. While propulsion systems improved over the year, deceleration proved hazardous at the end of the track. Event organizers placed thick landing mats a few meters past the finish line to catch incoming machines. Tiangong Ultra swerved off balance toward the edge of the track after hitting the barrier, forcing spectators in the front rows to dodge out of the way. Lightning collided with the padding and collapsed, requiring track attendants to carry the machine away on a stretcher.

Middle-distance marks and structural changes

Humanoid runners also posted fast times in middle-distance events during the opening program. A robot sharing the same model as the 100-meter victor completed the 400-meter run in 39.7 seconds. That mark surpassed the human world record of 43.03 seconds held by South African athlete Wayde van Niekerk. The performances followed recent distance trials, including Lightning winning this year's humanoid robot half-marathon in 50 minutes and 26 seconds, a pace faster than human male marathon records. Tiangong had won the inaugural edition of the half-marathon in Beijing the previous year. Prior to the current games, engineers modified Lightning by lengthening its legs from 95 centimeters to 1.05 meters, raising its total height above its earlier 169-centimeter frame, according to broadcaster CCTV.

Industrial testing and autonomous trials

The competition schedule features 51 separate events, divided into 30 sporting categories and 21 scenario-based industrial challenges. Alongside sprint and distance races, machines are scheduled to compete in football, dance, tug-of-war, weightlifting, Tai Chi, and pitch-pot, a traditional Chinese game involving throwing arrow-like sticks into narrow-necked pots. The workplace trials evaluate handling capabilities in simulated factories, restaurants, offices, and disaster response settings. These tests require robots to execute precision tasks such as connecting electrical cables at unusual angles, retrieving objects positioned outside standard reach, and moving packages in storage depots. Chinese policymakers and industrial groups are promoting humanoid robotics as a strategic emerging sector for factory production and logistics. Technology provider Huawei noted that more than 40% of the events require fully autonomous operation without human intervention. Spectator and robotics investor Xu Qiaosheng commented on the technical stresses visible during the trials.

The intensity is higher than last year, which places significant demands on the robot's battery management and thermal dissipation capabilities. This is of huge importance for the development of China's industrial sector.