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Chinese Humanoid Robot 'Lightning' Breaks Men's 100-Meter World Record Pace in Beijing
Just the facts
The humanoid robot, named Lightning, reached a peak velocity of 14.5 meters per second during the sprint trial in Beijing. Lightning stands 169 centimeters tall and features legs that were extended by 10 centimeters to 1.05 meters prior to the competition. The event occurred as part of the second World Humanoid Robot Games, where Chinese developers showcased advances in artificial intelligence and robotics hardware. Chinese state media reported that the same robot previously won the Beijing half-marathon in April 2026 with a time of 50 minutes and 26 seconds.
Why this is news
During a preparatory test event for the second World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing, China, a humanoid robot developed by technology company Honor completed a 100-meter run in 9.32 seconds. The recorded speed surpassed the men's 100-meter human world record of 9.58 seconds established by Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt in 2009.
Sources
This summary is compiled strictly from the original reporting below.