A Chinese humanoid robot ran the 100m under the human world record held by Usain Bolt (9.58s, Berlin 2009) at the second World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing.
The Tiangong Ultra robot won the official 100m race in 9.39 seconds.
The Lightning robot, manufactured by Honor, also ran under Bolt's mark, with times reported differently by various sources (9.32s to 9.47s).
Where it breaks apart
— Preparatory Trial vs Official Race — Some news outlets make a clear distinction between the 9.32 s time achieved by Lightning in a preparatory trial and the time recorded in the official race (9.39-9.47 s), while others report the 9.32 s figure without specifying this distinction.
— Sports or Industrial Interpretation — Chinese and Danish media frame the record as a demonstration of a mature and commercialized robotics industry, while several other countries focus on the spectacular athletic achievement and its technical limitations, including the falls and incidents that occurred during the events.
— Reliability of Reported Figures — Italian media explicitly note that some speed and jump figures come from Chinese manufacturers without independent verification, while other countries report these figures without equivalent reservations.
Technologie & Science
A Chinese humanoid robot runs the 100 metres faster than Usain Bolt at the Beijing World Humanoid Robot Games
published on
August 24, 2026
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At the second World Humanoid Robot Games, held in Beijing in August 2026, the Chinese robot Tiangong Ultra ran the 100 meters in 9.39 seconds in an official race, under the human world record set by Usain Bolt (9.58 s, Berlin 2009). The robot Lightning, designed by manufacturer Honor, finished just behind in 9.47 seconds, after a time of 9.32 seconds achieved during a preparatory trial. Other robots beat human marks in the 400 meters and high jump during the competition, which brought together over 2,000 robots and about 660 teams from 16 countries.
The times announced by the Chinese organizers and manufacturers have not received any official sports certification or confirmed independent verification to date.
The April half-marathon
Lightning, from manufacturer Honor, had already run a half-marathon in Beijing in 50 min 26 s in April 2026.
Competition incidents
The sole Japanese competitor in the 400m collapsed after 1 min 55 s and was stretchered off.
Participation is on the rise
666 teams competed this year, compared to 280 in the first edition, according to Politiken.
Key figures
9,39 s
Time of the 100m for the Tiangong Ultra robot in official competition
