In brief
In a surprising conclusion to the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing, Chinese smartphone maker Honor announced that its robot Lightning has run the 100‑meter dash in 9.32 seconds—faster than former world record holder Usain Bolt’s 9.58‑second mark set in 2009. The event, which showcased a variety of competitions from boxing to household chores, attracted over 2,000 robots from 16 countries. While the claim remains unverified by independent timing systems, it highlights China’s growing investments in robotics and artificial‑intelligence technologies. The performance has sparked debate among sports historians, engineers, and ethicists about the implications of robot athletes competing alongside or even surpassing human sprinters.
In a headline‑making moment at the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing, the thin black and red robot Lightning—developed by Chinese smartphone maker Honor—claimed to have run the 100‑meter sprint in 9.32 seconds, according to its manufacturer.
The pace would beat the human world record set by eight‑time Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt in 2009, who finished the same distance in 9.58 seconds. Lightning’s time comes from a run that was timed by the organizers on the event track.
The Games, which opened on a Saturday and feature a range of competitions—from boxing and football to mundane tasks such as folding laundry—have drawn more than 2,000 robots from 16 countries. The event is part of a broader Chinese push to position the nation as a global leader in robotics and artificial‑intelligence capabilities.
While Honor’s claim is impressive, it has not yet been independently verified by official timing bodies, and some experts caution that the performance could be as much a marketing stunt as a sporting milestone. Nevertheless, the announcement has ignited discussion among sports historians, engineers, and ethicists about whether robots should compete beside or even surpass human athletes.
