Chinese humanoid robot beats Usain Bolt’s 100m world record — but with a chaotic finish | Video

A Chinese humanoid robot named Tiangong Ultra has set a new world record for the 100-meter sprint, completing the distance in just 9.39 seconds at the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing. This feat surpasses the previous record held by Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt, who clocked 9.58 seconds in 2009. Tiangong Ultra, developed by the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center, initially trailed behind another robot named Honor's Lightning but managed to overtake it at the final stretch.

However, both robots had to come to a sudden halt when they collided with a thick mat placed at the end of the track. Despite the chaotic finish, the performance marked a significant improvement from last year's inaugural games, where Tiangong Ultra had clocked 21.50 seconds for the 100m event. The robot also won the first-ever humanoid robot half-marathon in Beijing, showcasing its speed and agility.

The humanoid robot sector in China is experiencing rapid growth, with the government and companies investing heavily in its development. Shares in Unitree, a leading Chinese robot maker, surged during its debut on the Shanghai stock exchange, catapulting the company's market value to approximately $50 billion. This year's World Humanoid Robot Games have drawn 2,056 robots from 666 teams representing 16 countries across six continents, a substantial increase from the 280 teams that participated in the inaugural event. The games, held at Beijing's National Speed Skating Oval, will continue until Wednesday.