China’s Humanoid Robot ‘Lightning’ Beats Usain Bolt’s 100m Record With 9.32-Second Run (Video)
A humanoid robot developed by Chinese smartphone maker Honor ran 100 metres in 9.32 seconds, China's state broadcaster reported on Saturday, beating the human world record held by Jamaican sprinting great Usain Bolt.
A humanoid robot developed by Chinese smartphone maker Honor ran 100 metres in 9.32 seconds, China's state broadcaster reported on Saturday, beating the human world record held by Jamaican sprinting great Usain Bolt. The robot, dubbed Lightning, reached a peak speed of 14.5 metres per second during a preparatory test event for the second World Humanoid Robot Games, which opened in Beijing on Saturday.
Lightning Surpasses Usain Bolt's 2009 Record
The performance surpassed the 9.58-second men's 100-metre world record set by Bolt at the World Athletics Championships in Berlin in 2009. The feat marks a significant milestone for China's humanoid robotics sector, coming during trials held ahead of the country's second edition of the World Humanoid Robot Games. Ultra-Bionic Robot At World Robot Conference 2026 in Beijing Priced At USD 17,000, Wows With Human-Like Blinking (Video).
Chinese Humanoid Robot 'Lightning' Beats Usain Bolt's 100m World Record, Clocks 9.32 Seconds
Chinese humanoid robot by smartphone maker Honor (“Lightning”) ran 100m in 9.32 seconds (Usain Bolt’s record is 9.58 seconds).
Perhaps more impressively: it crashed into a safety wall without having its waist implode with sparks flying off. pic.twitter.com/Edzg9pzY7s
— Trung Phan (@TrungTPhan) August 22, 2026
China Pushing Humanoid Robots As Strategic Industry
China has been promoting humanoid robots as a strategic emerging industry, with policymakers and companies betting that advances in AI and hardware will accelerate their deployment in manufacturing, logistics and consumer applications. China Holds World’s First Humanoid Robot MMA Event, Featuring Real Robots in Full-Contact Combat (Video).
Lightning Also Holds Half Marathon Record
Lightning previously won the 21-km Beijing half marathon in April, completing the course in 50 minutes and 26 seconds, a pace faster than the elite men's human world record.
At the time of the half marathon, the robot stood 169 cm tall with 95-cm legs. Researchers have since lengthened its legs by 10 cm to 1.05 metres ahead of the World Humanoid Robot Games, China Central Television reported.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 22, 2026 10:04 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
