World Humanoid Robot Sports Games Opens in China with 2,000 Robots Competing

Beijingwalker · 2026-08-22T15:55:40+0100

World Humanoid Robot Sports Games Opens in China with 2,000 Robots Competing

Aug 22, 2026

The World Humanoid Robot Sports Championships opened in Beijing, China on the 22nd. The number of participating robots is approximately 2,000, four times the number from last year's event, which was touted as the world's first.

In the 100-meter dash, one robot achieved a time of 9.39 seconds, surpassing the record of Usain Bolt (Jamaica), the fastest human athlete at the time, who recorded 9.58 seconds.

More than 660 teams from 16 countries have entered the competition, and will compete in a wide variety of sports, including soccer and track and field, until the 26th.

The opening ceremony and a soccer exhibition match were held on the first day, where robots were seen powerfully shooting and finding the back of the goal.

The competition is organized by the Beijing Municipal Government and others. The venue is the National Speed Skating Hall, which will be the stage for the 2022 Winter Olympics.

While 90% of the participants are from Chinese companies, universities, and research institutions, strong teams from the United States, Germany, Brazil, and other countries are also participating.

Beijingwalker · 2026-08-22T16:05:15+0100

Chinese robot ‘Lightning’ breaks Usain Bolt’s 100m world record

August 22, 2026 4:06 PM

A humanoid robot developed by Chinese smartphone maker Honor has beaten Usain Bolt’s 100m world record, clocking 9.32 seconds in a test run ahead of the second World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing.

The robot, dubbed Lightning, reached a peak speed of 14.5 metres per second during the preparatory event. Its performance surpassed the 9.58-second men’s 100-metre world record set by Jamaican sprinting great Usain Bolt at the World Athletics Championships in Berlin in 2009.

Lightning also won the Beijing half marathon in April, completing the 21km course in 50 minutes and 26 seconds – faster than the elite men’s human world-record pace.

The robot stood 169cm tall and had 95cm legs at the half marathon. Engineers have since lengthened its legs by 10cm to 1.05 metres ahead of the World Humanoid Robot Games, state broadcaster CCTV reported.

The second World Humanoid Robot Games opened in Beijing on Saturday at the National Speed Skating Oval, also known as the “Ice Ribbon” – the venue for the 2022 Winter Olympics. The event has attracted 666 teams and 2,056 robots from 16 countries.

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.

The feat marks a significant milestone in the field of artificial intelligence, as humanoid robots were struggling to complete a race just last year.

Chinese robot 'Lightning' breaks Usain Bolt's 100m world record

A humanoid robot developed by Chinese smartphone maker Honor has beaten Usain Bolt's 100m world record, clocking 9.32 seconds in a test run ahead of the second World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing.

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