On Saturday, humanoid robots in Beijing set new records, surpassing milestones previously held by humans. Notably, they outperformed Usain Bolt’s 100-meter sprint world record. This achievement took place during the opening day of the World Humanoid Robot Games, likened to the Olympics, held in Beijing.
Over 2,000 humanoid robots participated as recorded by the organizer. These robots performed in events like running, table tennis, and soccer over the five-day games, which showcased China’s strides in robotics amid a growing technological competition with the U.S.
The games unfolded at the National Speed Skating Oval, a venue from the 2022 Winter Olympics. The event coincided with the 2026 World Robot Conference in Beijing, which presented 3,000 products, including humanoid robots.
China produces a significant portion of the global humanoid robots, sparking increased scrutiny from the U.S. Recently, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission prohibited the import of foreign-made humanoid robots, citing national security concerns. This decision appeared aimed at China, and the Pentagon listed Chinese robot maker Unitree as a company with military connections, which Beijing has disputed.
During the opening of the games, organizers and robot manufacturers announced that the records set by Chinese humanoid robots surpassed human achievements. Hundreds of robots displayed synchronized coordination. Notably, a humanoid sprinted 100 meters in 9.39 seconds, breaking the prior human record of 9.58 seconds set by Usain Bolt in 2009. In high jump, a robot leaped 2.88 meters, outperforming both a previous humanoid record of 0.95 meters and the human record of 2.45 meters by Javier Sotomayor in 1993.
Beijing-based X-Humanoid created both record-setting robots. Furthermore, before the games began, a robot from Chinese smartphone company, Honor, completed a 100-meter sprint in 9.32 seconds, reaching a peak speed of 14.5 meters per second.
Experts suggest that while humanoid robots show significant progress, they primarily serve demonstrations, performances, and research. Mass deployment in real-world applications will take more time.
Excitement was evident among spectators at the robot games, witnessing the rapid development of humanoid capabilities. Li Yanfeng, an education worker from Beijing, stated that despite initial reservations about AI, witnessing the innovations changed her perception. Another spectator, Yang Shangzheng, expressed amazement at the robots performing sports traditionally associated with humans.
Attendee Liu Tao, alongside his son, looked forward to seeing China’s top humanoid robots in action. Sixteen countries participated in this year’s games, including Germany, Japan, and the U.S. The schedule also featured events like weightlifting and tug of war.