A humanoid robot ran the 100-metre dash in 9.39 seconds on Saturday, August 21, beating Usain Bolt’s famous 2009 world record of 9.58 seconds.
In a viral clip seen by TNX Africa, several human-like robots raced down a running track as crowds cheered them on.
The machines ran at different speeds before crashing into a soft landing pad and falling over at the end of the race. Staff members then had to carry one of the robots away on a stretcher.
The winning humanoid robot, dubbed ‘Lightning’, was built by Beijing-based company X-Humanoid.
A robot named 'Lightning' has run 100m in 9.39 seconds in the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing, beating Usain Bolt's 9.58 seconds.
— Sky News (@SkyNews) August 22, 2026
Over 2,000 robots from 16 countries are participating in the competition, with tech companies and groups from around the world taking part over… pic.twitter.com/9Zd1y2486h
Another robot from the same company also broke a high jump record after clearing 2.88 metres, surpassing the human record of 2.45 metres set by Javier Sotomayor in 1993.
The record-breaking performances took place on the opening day of the World Humanoid Robot Games, where more than 2,000 robots were taking part.
The event, dubbed the robot Olympics, featured competitions in football, table tennis, athletics and other sports. It opened with hundreds of machines marching onto the field in a display of China’s advances in robotics technology.
However, not all the robots performed smoothly. Several tripped, broke apart or caught fire during their events.
The games come amid rising tensions between China and the United States over technology and national security.
According to CBS News, the US government last month banned imports of new foreign-made robots, citing potential security risks.
The US military also added another major Chinese robotics company to a list of businesses linked to China’s armed forces. China has denied the claims.
Chinese companies say they have received thousands of orders for humanoid robots from businesses and government agencies. However, experts say the technology is still largely being used for demonstrations and entertainment, and it could take time before the machines become useful in everyday life.
As clips from the games circulated widely on social media, users shared mixed reactions.
On X, user Inkman wrote: “An interesting thing to observe! A robot designed by human engineers breaking record of humans.”