Humanoid Robots Break Usain Bolt's 100m Record at Beijing Games

Humanoid robots have surpassed Usain Bolt's 100-meter sprint world record at the second World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing, marking a significant milestone in the rapid advancement of bipedal robotics. The event, which opened on August 22, 2026, at the National Speed Skating Oval, has drawn over 2,000 robots from 16 countries to compete in a wide array of athletic and practical challenges. The record-breaking performances occurred over the weekend. In a preparatory trial ahead of the games, a robot named Lightning, designed by Chinese smartphone manufacturer Honor, completed the 100-meter sprint in 9.32 seconds, reaching a peak velocity of 14.5 meters per second.