Lightning robot smashes 100m record with 9.32-second run
A Chinese-made humanoid robot named Lightning ran 100 metres in 9.32 seconds during a Beijing trial on Saturday, beating the human record of 9.58 seconds set by Jamaica’s Usain Bolt in 2009.
Source: Astro Mustika HD · August 23, 2026 at 8:31 PM · AI-assisted report
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BEIJING, 24 AUGUST 2026 —
A Chinese-made humanoid robot named Lightning ran 100 metres in 9.32 seconds during a Beijing trial on Saturday, beating the human record of 9.58 seconds set by Jamaica’s Usain Bolt in 2009.
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Honor, the smart-device brand that developed Lightning, said the robot reached a peak speed of 14.5 metres per second in the test. Lightning is scheduled to compete in the 100 m, 400 m and 1,500 m races when the five-day World Humanoid Robot Games open on 22 August at the same venue.
The Beijing tournament, running to 26 August, will also feature humanoid contests in long jump, weightlifting and tennis. According to CGTN, teams from around the world will showcase advances in robotics and artificial intelligence.
World Athletics recognises Bolt’s 9.58-second mark from the 2009 World Championships as the official human record. Organisers stressed that robot times cannot be compared directly under human athletic rules.
Related: Beijing