Chinese robot beats Usain Bolt’s 100m world record time

A Chinese humanoid robot named "Lightning" has set a world record for the 100-metre sprint, completing the distance in 9.32 seconds. This surpasses the previous record held by Jamaican sprint legend Usain Bolt, who ran the same distance in 9.58 seconds during the 2009 World Championships in Berlin. The announcement was made by Chinese smart-device maker Honor.

The robot reached a peak speed of 14.5 metres per second during its sprint, showcasing its high-speed running capabilities. Lightning is scheduled to participate in the 100m, 400m, and 1,500m events at the upcoming five-day World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing. The competition will see humanoid robots competing in various sports, including long jump, weightlifting, and table tennis, as teams from around the world display advancements in robotics and artificial intelligence.

It is important to note that Bolt's record, set in 2009, remains the official human world record recognized by World Athletics. The robot's reported time cannot be directly compared to an athletic world record under human sporting rules.