Humanoid robot runs 100 metres in 8.64 seconds
This is the third time the 100 metre record has been broken over the five days of competition, highlighting rapid progress in humanoid robotics. Four days ago, the sprinter clocked 9.39 seconds in the heats, and on Tuesday another robot improved that to 8.85 seconds.
When a robot runs the 100 metres faster than Usain Bolt, the world record holder among humans (9.58 seconds), it is no longer just an engineering achievement but a new milestone in the evolution of machines. Over five days, the record fell three times — clear evidence of how fast technology is rewriting the rules. Humanoid robots are no longer merely mimicking human movements — they are beginning to surpass humans in speed, precision and endurance. The second World Games in Beijing were not just a competition arena but a mirror of the future, where machines are increasingly entering our daily lives — from factories to hospitals, from sports fields to shopping centres.
The competitions were held at the National Speed Skating Oval in the Chinese capital, where more than 2,000 robots developed by over 600 teams from 16 countries and regions competed in 51 disciplines, including a range of sporting events from football to athletics, gymnastics, weightlifting, jumping, boxing, martial arts, street dancing and tug of war. The Games also featured 21 scenario based competitions covering various real world conditions such as factories, hotels, homes, emergency response sites, hospitals and shopping areas.
The second World Humanoid Robot Games, held in Beijing from 22 to 26 August, became the largest event of its kind in history. They brought together 666 teams and 2,056 robots from 16 countries, four times more than last year. The programme included 51 competitive disciplines — from traditional sports to practical tasks simulating real scenarios. The 100 metre sprint drew particular attention, with robots demonstrating not only speed but also stability, coordination and energy efficiency. The record 8.64 seconds was the highlight of a five day marathon of innovation and competition.
As CCTV+ reports, the 100 metre sprint final was a spectacular climax to the second World Humanoid Robot Games. Three records in five days are not just statistics but evidence that robotics is advancing at an exponential pace. In the coming years, such achievements will find applications not only in sport but also in logistics, medicine and emergency services. The Games in Beijing showed that the future does not arrive gradually — it comes in leaps, and each new record brings us closer to a world where humans and machines run together towards the same goal.
