A Chinese humanoid robot ran a 100-meter sprint in 9.39 seconds [1], surpassing the human world record during an event in Beijing.
The achievement signals a leap in robotic locomotion and balance, highlighting China's push to lead the global technology race against the U.S.
The record was set on Saturday, Aug. 23, during the opening day of the World Humanoid Robot Games [2]. The robot's time beat the 9.58 seconds recorded by Usain Bolt in 2009 [1]. While reports differ on the manufacturer, the robot was attributed to either Beijing-based X-Humanoid [1] or Honor [3].
More than 2,000 robots are participating in the five-day competition [4]. The event showcases various athletic capabilities beyond the 100-meter dash. Another Chinese robot recorded a 400-meter sprint time of 38.16 seconds [3].
Organizers said the games were designed to showcase advances in robotics and attract new investment [5]. The competition includes events such as the high jump, where Chinese humanoids have also surpassed multiple human records [6].
The event serves as a public demonstration of how humanoid forms can now mirror or exceed elite human physical performance. By integrating advanced sensors and actuators, these machines can maintain stability at speeds previously impossible for non-biological entities.
“A Chinese humanoid robot ran a 100-meter sprint in 9.39 seconds.”
This milestone represents a shift from robots performing repetitive industrial tasks to mastering complex, high-speed biological movements. By breaking a world-renowned human athletic record, China is demonstrating the strategic application of robotics to project technological dominance and accelerate the commercialization of humanoid machines in labor and logistics.
