Humanoid Robot Smashes 400m World Record at Beijing Games

This year's World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing saw a significant milestone as a humanoid robot, Tiangong Ultra, shattered the 400-meter world record.

The robot completed the sprint in 38.15 seconds, nearly five seconds faster than the previous human record of 43.03 seconds set by Wayde van Niekirk at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

This achievement follows another record-breaking performance by Tiangong Ultra on Saturday, when it reportedly broke Usain Bolt's 100-meter world record during the opening ceremony. However, the robot immediately experienced an issue after its 100m victory, failing to decelerate and crashing into a safety mattress, requiring repairs.

The five-day event, hosted in Beijing's Olympic speed skating arena, is only the second installment of the games. It features dozens of robots competing in events modeled after human sports, including athletics, boxing, football, and martial arts, alongside task-based challenges.

A total of 2,056 robots from 666 teams are registered for the games, with 96 percent of the teams being Chinese. However, 16 countries from six continents are participating in the 1,301 matches. The games include 50 events, with 30 focused on sports and 20 on work-related tasks such as bricklaying and power tool assembly, which are seen as indicators of potential commercial applications for humanoid robots.

Not all robotic competitors fared well. Some robots in the 400m race reportedly fell and did not finish. Spectators also witnessed a robot in a boxing match stumble and fold over the ropes, remaining motionless until removed by human staff.

One spectator, Hou Yali, expressed a desire to see robots compete directly against humans and perform tasks beyond speed, such as household chores. She noted that while robot technology is advancing, current competitions primarily focus on speed and agility rather than the intelligence or dexterity needed for domestic assistance.