Chinese robot sprinter leaves Usain Bolt's 100m world record in the dust

A Chinese humanoid robot has shattered Usain Bolt's 100-meter world record, clocking in at an astonishing 9.39 seconds at the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing. Tiangong Ultra, developed by the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center, achieved this feat during a preliminary heat on Saturday, significantly outpacing the previous men's record of 9.58 seconds set by the Jamaican sprinter in 2009.

The competition saw another robot, Lightning, developed by smartphone maker Honor, also finish faster than Bolt's record, completing the race in 9.47 seconds. While the robots lacked Bolt's signature flair, their performance marked a dramatic improvement from the previous year's games, where Tiangong Ultra won the 100 meters in 21.50 seconds. Both robots struggled with the finish line, with Tiangong Ultra stumbling and Lightning collapsing and requiring a stretcher.

Earlier test results reported by Chinese state media indicated Lightning had run 100 meters in 9.32 seconds, reaching a peak speed of 14.5 meters per second. The advancements extend beyond sprinting; Lightning also won the world's first humanoid robot half-marathon in Beijing last year, surpassing elite human times. Researchers had even modified Lightning's leg length prior to the games to enhance its performance.

China is heavily promoting humanoid robots as a strategic industry, with significant investment from both policymakers and companies anticipating widespread use in manufacturing, logistics, and consumer sectors. This enthusiasm was reflected in the stock market, where shares of Unitree, a prominent Chinese humanoid robot maker, surged dramatically upon its Shanghai trading debut. The World Humanoid Robot Games feature 51 events, including football, dancing, and industrial tasks, drawing over 2,000 robots from 16 countries.