A Chinese humanoid robot ran 100 metres in 9.39 seconds [1] during the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing this past Saturday.
The achievement marks a significant milestone in robotics, demonstrating that synthetic machines can now exceed the peak physical capabilities of the fastest humans in history.
The robot, named Tiangong Ultra, recorded its time during a preliminary heat [1]. The mark surpasses the men's 100-metre world record of 9.58 seconds [1] established by Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt in 2009.
The event in Beijing served as a showcase for rapid advances in humanoid robotics and the pursuit of athletic performance limits [1], [2]. The World Humanoid Robot Games featured more than 2,000 robots [2] representing 16 countries [2]. These machines competed across various disciplines, including weightlifting, tug of war, and sprinting [2].
Some reports indicate another humanoid robot, named Lightning, also beat the human record with a time of 9.47 seconds [5]. However, other reports focused exclusively on the performance of Tiangong Ultra [1].
Organizers designed the competition to test the agility and power of humanoid forms in high-pressure environments. The 9.39-second sprint [3] represents the current pinnacle of robotic speed in a humanoid configuration.
Reuters said the performance occurred during the Saturday event, noting it was faster than the record held by the Jamaican sprinting great [1].
“The Tiangong Ultra robot clocked 9.39 seconds, surpassing Bolt's 9.58‑second record.”
This event signals a shift in robotics from utility and stability toward extreme athletic performance. While human records are limited by biological constraints, the Tiangong Ultra's time suggests that humanoid hardware can now optimize for speed and power beyond human physiological limits. This progress in actuators and balance control likely has implications for industrial automation and emergency response robotics where rapid movement is critical.
