Chinese humanoid robots beat Usain Bolt’s record in Beijing:It completed 100m in 9.39 seconds but later collapsed and needed a stretcher

Usain Bolt’s 100-metre record has stood for 17 years. But at the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing, two robots have now crossed the finish line faster than the legendary Jamaican sprinter’s mark. While the robots’ runs were far from the smoothness of a human sprint, their performance shows how quickly humanoid robots are improving. Robots race faster than Bolt The standout performance came from Tiangong Ultra, developed by the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center. It completed the 100 metres in 9.39 seconds in a preliminary heat, beating Bolt’s 9.58-second record. Honor’s humanoid robot ‘Lightning’ also finished faster than Bolt, completing the race in 9.47 seconds. In an earlier test, Lightning had reportedly clocked 9.32 seconds and reached a top speed of 14.5 metres per second. However, the robots’ runs came with a major difference from a human sprint. Both struggled to stop after crossing the finish line. Tiangong stumbled towards the sidelines, while Lightning collapsed and had to be carried away on a stretcher.
So while the times were record-breaking, the robots still have plenty to learn about balance, control and stability. A huge improvement in just one year The performance also shows how quickly these machines are improving. At last year’s first edition of the robot games, Tiangong Ultra completed the 100 metres in 21.50 seconds. This year, it brought that time down to 9.39 seconds. Lightning has also been getting upgrades. It previously stood 169 cm tall with 95-cm legs during the Beijing humanoid half-marathon. Its developers later increased its leg length to 1.05 metres, helping it achieve higher speeds. Lightning has already run a half-marathon The 100-metre sprint is not Lightning’s only impressive performance. In April, the robot won a humanoid half-marathon in Beijing, completing the race in 50 minutes and 26 seconds. That pace was faster than the human men’s world-record pace for a half-marathon. The achievement suggests that developers are not only working on making humanoid robots faster, but also improving their ability to operate for longer periods. Also read: Robots cook food, fold clothes and dance: Day not far human-like robots will do household chores

It’s not just about running
The World Humanoid Robot Games feature 51 events, including football, table tennis, weightlifting, tug of war, dancing and industrial tasks. More than 2,000 humanoid robots from 666 teams across 16 countries and six continents are taking part this year. One of the most striking performances came in the standing high jump, where a humanoid robot reached 2.88 metres. That was higher than the human world record of 2.45 metres, set by Cuba’s Javier Sotomayor in 1993. Why is China investing so heavily in humanoid robots?
China sees humanoid robots as an important emerging technology with potential uses far beyond sporting events. Companies and policymakers are working to bring these machines into areas such as manufacturing, logistics and consumer applications. The Beijing robot games are part of that push, giving companies an opportunity to demonstrate how quickly their robots can move, learn and perform different tasks. China is also a major producer of humanoid robots, making the country an important player in the global race to develop the technology. Also read: Three years of India making history near Moon’s south pole:How ‘Chandrayaan-3’ landing changed country’s space programme

Can robots really replace human athletes? Not yet. Experts say most humanoid robots are still primarily being used for research, demonstrations and performances rather than large-scale real-world work. The robot games show that their physical abilities are improving rapidly, but the machines still struggle with basic challenges such as maintaining balance, stopping safely and recovering from falls. For now, beating Bolt’s time is more of a demonstration of robotics technology than a true sporting achievement. But the speed of progress is what makes these performances significant. As Beijing resident and spectator Li Yanfeng put it: Humanoid robots are evolving rapidly. She said she had initially been worried that AI could replace humans, but added that the development now seemed unstoppable. Another spectator, Yang Shangzheng, summed up the appeal of the event: These sports are perfectly normal for humans, but now robots can do them. I find it amazing. And that may be the real story behind these robot races. The machines may not be ready to replace human athletes, but they are getting surprisingly close to matching some of their physical abilities.