Beijing robot games: Chinese humanoid robots surpass human sprint, jump records
At least 2,000 humanoid robots are competing in the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing, where the opening day on Saturday (August 22, 2026) saw robots achieve times and heights that surpass the best human performances in sprinting and jumping.
In the 100-metre sprint, a humanoid robot from Beijing-based X-Humanoid crossed the line in 9.39 seconds, quicker than Usain Bolt’s human world record of 9.58 seconds set in 2009. In the standing high jump, another X-Humanoid robot cleared 2.88 metres, exceeding the human record of 2.45 metres set by Javier Sotomayor of Cuba in 1993. The high jump mark is also a major improvement from the 0.95 metres that was the best humanoid performance at last year’s inaugural games.
These performances were recorded in a robot-only competition, not against human athletes. The figures show the rapid progress in robotics, but experts point out that robot and human records are separate categories and cannot be directly compared.
The five-day games, now in their second year, are being held at the National Speed Skating Oval, a venue built for the 2022 Winter Olympics. The organiser said 16 countries, including Germany, Japan and the United States, are participating. The events include running, table tennis, soccer, weightlifting and tug of war, with 51 events and more than 1,000 competitions.
The games opened the same week as the 2026 World Robot Conference in Beijing, where around 3,000 products, including humanoid robots, are being showcased. China makes the majority of the world’s humanoid robots, and the country has made robotics a strategic priority.
However, the growing prominence of Chinese robots has triggered a response from the United States. Last month, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission announced a ban on imports of new foreign-made humanoid robots, citing national security concerns. The move is widely seen as targeting China. The U.S. Department of Defence has also added Unitree, a leading Chinese humanoid robot maker, to its list of companies alleged to have links with the Chinese military. Beijing has denied these allegations.
During the opening ceremony, hundreds of humanoid robots marched in formation in a display of synchronization. A spokeswoman for the organiser said the robots had "defeated human world records," but this phrasing has drawn criticism from some sports officials, who note that robot performances are not comparable to human achievements in the same way.
Before the games began, a humanoid robot developed by Chinese smartphone maker Honor completed a 100-metre sprint in 9.32 seconds during a trial, with a peak speed of 14.5 metres per second, the company said.
Despite these impressive numbers, experts caution that humanoid robots are still mostly used for demonstrations, performances and research. Mass deployment in real-world settings, such as factories or homes, remains years away.
Spectators at the games expressed both enthusiasm and unease. Li Yanfeng, an education worker from Beijing, said she had initially been resistant to artificial intelligence. "I was even a bit resistant to it, because of the possibility that it might replace or displace humans. But now that I see this development is unstoppable, I decided to come and take a look," she told reporters.
Yang Shangzheng, another spectator, said, "These sports are perfectly normal for humans, but now robots can do them. I find it amazing." Liu Tao, who attended with his son, said he was hoping to see "the best robots China currently has to offer."
The World Humanoid Robot Games are part of China’s broader efforts to lead in robotics and artificial intelligence. They also provide a stage to showcase the technological advances that are increasingly central to global competition in advanced manufacturing and national security.
