Beijing, China — August 23, 2026: The race to build faster and more capable humanoid robots has taken a dramatic turn in Beijing, where a Chinese humanoid robot has run the 100 meters faster than Usain Bolt’s legendary human world record.
At the second World Humanoid Robot Games, held at Beijing’s National Speed Skating Oval, the Chinese-developed Tiangong Ultra completed a 100-meter preliminary heat in 9.39 seconds. That was faster than Bolt’s official 100-meter world record of 9.58 seconds, set in Berlin in 2009. (Reuters)
Tiangong Ultra Takes the Lead
Developed by the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center, Tiangong Ultra initially fell behind during the race but accelerated toward the finish and overtook another Chinese humanoid, Honor’s Lightning, which finished in 9.47 seconds.
The finish was anything but smooth. After crossing the line, the robots struggled to slow down. Tiangong Ultra stumbled toward the sidelines, while Lightning collapsed and had to be carried away. Safety mats were placed at the end of the track to prevent serious damage. (Kathmandu Post)
The result nevertheless represents a huge improvement over last year's competition. Tiangong Ultra completed the same 100-meter event in 21.50 seconds during the inaugural games.
Another Robot Had Already Gone Even Faster
Before the official competition, Honor's Lightning reportedly completed a preparatory 100-meter run in 9.32 seconds, reaching a peak speed of approximately 14.5 meters per second.
That time is even faster than Tiangong Ultra's 9.39-second race result. However, Lightning ultimately finished behind Tiangong Ultra in the Beijing heat. (The Guardian)
This means Chinese humanoid robots have now demonstrated sprinting speeds that are faster than the benchmark established by one of the greatest sprinters in human history.
Beijing’s Robot Olympics
The World Humanoid Robot Games are designed to showcase advances in humanoid robotics through sports and practical challenges.
This year's competition features 51 events, including running, soccer, dancing and industrial tasks. Organizers say around 2,056 robots from 666 teams across 16 countries and six continents are taking part. (Kathmandu Post)
The games are being held alongside Beijing's broader technology showcase, highlighting China's growing ambitions in artificial intelligence, robotics and advanced manufacturing.
Robots Also Beat the Human High-Jump Record
The sprint was not the only astonishing performance.
A humanoid robot reached 2.88 meters in a standing high jump, surpassing the human high-jump world record of 2.45 meters, set by Cuba's Javier Sotomayor in 1993. (The Washington Post)
These demonstrations underline how quickly robotic hardware is improving, particularly in balance, movement, motors and mechanical power.
But Robots Still Have a Long Way to Go
Despite the eye-catching records, experts caution against assuming humanoid robots are ready to replace human workers or athletes.
The robots' difficulty stopping after a sprint illustrates one of the industry's biggest challenges: moving fast is only part of the problem. Robots also need to understand unpredictable environments, make decisions independently and safely interact with humans.
Experts continue to describe many humanoid robots as primarily demonstration, research and entertainment platforms, although industrial applications are expanding. (Financial Times)
What This Means for the Future of Robotics
The Beijing games offer a striking glimpse of where robotics could be heading. China has identified humanoid robots as a strategic emerging industry, with companies and policymakers investing heavily in hardware, artificial intelligence and manufacturing.
For now, Usain Bolt remains the official human 100-meter world-record holder at 9.58 seconds. But the machines competing in Beijing have shown that, under controlled conditions, robotic athletes can already move faster than the fastest human sprinter ever recorded.
The bigger question is no longer simply whether robots can run faster than humans. It is how quickly they can combine that physical ability with human-level intelligence, balance and real-world decision-making.
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