Technology · Robotics · published 2026-08-26 · via Wired

Robot Games Highlight Speed Records and Fine Motor Skills

At the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing, robots broke sprint records, with the fastest completing 100 meters in 8.86 seconds, surpassing Usain Bolt's human mark. The event featured over 600 teams and 2,000 robots, including competitions in long jump and table tennis. However, the author found the most impressive feats to be tasks requiring precision, such as using tweezers, which hint at practical deployment.

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The Beijing games drew more than 600 teams and 2,000 robots, with over 100 humanoid manufacturers based in China alone and participants arriving from 15 other nations. The Tiangong Ultra's 8.86-second 100-meter sprint and 7.97-meter long jump both surpassed human benchmarks, while Honor's Lightning robot posted 9.47 seconds in competition and 9.32 in a pre-event test.

Beyond speed events, robots competed in table tennis against an Olympic champion, boxing, soccer, weightlifting, and cheerleading. Several machines blew out motors attempting to halt at speed, revealing physical limits. Brown University roboticist Stefanie

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This summary is Al-enhanced to contain extended analysis and broader social context. The original is {NAME); the linked article is the authoritative source. Original headline: “The Humanoids at China’s Robot Games Were Faster Than Usain Bolt—but I’m More Impressed by Their Tweezer Mastery.” Browse more stories.