Chinese Robots Break Usain Bolt 100 Meter Record in Beijing

Two Chinese humanoid robots surpassed Usain Bolt's 2009 world record of 9.58 seconds in the 100-meter dash during a preliminary heat at the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing on Saturday, August 22, 2026.

The Tiangong Ultra, developed by the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center, completed the 100-meter sprint in 9.39 seconds. Following closely behind, the Honor-developed Lightning bot recorded a time of 9.47 seconds during the same event.

Organizers launched the annual competition in 2025 to showcase rapid advancements in bipedal robotics. The five-day 2026 event drew 2,056 robots representing 16 countries, competing across multiple athletic disciplines including sprinting, football, boxing, high jump, Tai Chi, and table tennis.

In addition to its 100-meter performance, the Tiangong Ultra completed the 400-meter race in 38.16 seconds. That result surpassed the human world record of 43.03 seconds established by Wayde van Niekerk in 2016.

Unlike human runners, these high-speed sprinting droids cannot decelerate independently after crossing the finish line. Instead, the units collide directly into cushioned crash walls before support crews collect the damaged components on stretchers.

The competition featured additional showcases of robotic mobility across various events. Football droids executed choreographed celebratory moves such as Cristiano Ronaldo's iconic celebration, while other units conducted synchronized marching routines during the opening ceremony.