A Chinese humanoid robot, aptly named "Lightning," has set a new 100-meter sprint record, clocking 9.32 seconds during a test ahead of the second World Humanoid Robot Games, beating Usain Bolt's human world record of 9.58 seconds, CGTN reported.
Lightning reached a peak speed of 14.5 meters per second, according to Chinese smart device maker Honor.
The test showcased its high-speed abilities, from rapid gait switching and balance control to sustained operation under demanding conditions, the company said.
Lightning strikes: Chinese humanoid robot runs 100-meter in 9.32 seconds
— CGTN (@CGTNOfficial)[#HumanoidRobotGames][#robots][#ai][pic.twitter.com/rEP6DYf8nQ][August 22, 2026] Similar breakthroughs have also been reported by other Chinese robotics companies.
Unitree Robotics recently said its humanoid robot "Superman" reached a peak speed of 12.66 meters per second, or about 45.6 kilometers per hour. At that speed, it could theoretically cover 100 meters in about 7.9 seconds. However, this is only an instantaneous peak speed, not a full-distance race time. Unitree said the robot remains in the technology validation stage.
Earlier, it was reported that the second World Humanoid Robot Games opened in Beijing on Saturday evening, bringing together 666 teams and 2,056 robots from 16 countries.