Chinese Humanoid Robot Runs 100m In 9.32 Seconds In Beijing

A humanoid robot developed by Chinese smartphone maker Honor has reportedly completed 100 metres in 9.32 seconds, surpassing Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt’s 9.58-second men’s 100-metre world record. The performance was recorded during a preparatory test for the second World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing, according to China’s state broadcaster. The robot, named Lightning, reached a reported peak speed of 14.5 metres per second.

Bolt established the 9.58-second human record at the 2009 World Athletics Championships in Berlin, and it has remained the benchmark for men’s 100-metre sprinting. Lightning’s reported test time is therefore 0.26 seconds faster, although the robot’s performance is not comparable to an official human athletics world record because it was achieved by a machine in a robotics competition setting.

The test comes as China continues to promote humanoid robotics as an emerging strategic industry. Developers and policymakers are investing in advances in artificial intelligence, hardware and autonomous systems, with potential applications including manufacturing, logistics and consumer technology. The World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing are being used as a showcase for developments in areas including autonomous movement and robotic performance.

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Lightning had already demonstrated its long-distance running ability earlier this year. In April, the robot completed a 21-kilometre Beijing half marathon in 50 minutes and 26 seconds, a performance reported as faster than the human men’s world-record pace for the distance. The robot was 169 cm tall at the time and had 95-cm legs.

Researchers subsequently modified Lightning ahead of the robot games, including lengthening its legs by 10 cm to 1.05 metres. Reports from Chinese technology media also indicate that the development team worked on improving its leg proportions, reducing weight and upgrading joint performance to support greater speed during short-distance running. Lightning is scheduled to compete in multiple racing events during the games.

The 9.32-second run highlights the rapid progress being made in humanoid robot mobility, particularly in balancing speed, mechanical power and autonomous movement. While Lightning’s performance has surpassed Bolt’s human record in a test setting, the achievement represents a robotics milestone rather than a change to official human athletics records. The development also reflects the growing emphasis on humanoid robots in China’s broader technology and industrial strategy.

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