BEIJING, August 24. /Dunyo IA/. Chinese humanoid robot “Tiangong Ultra” ran 100 meters in 9.39 seconds at the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing, surpassing the world record held by sprinting great Usain Bolt, reports Dunyo IA correspondent, citing the BBC.

“Tiangong Ultra,” developed by the Beijing Innovation Center for Humanoid Robotics, won its preliminary heat at the second World Humanoid Robot Games.

The robot initially trailed “Lightning,” a humanoid robot developed by smartphone maker “Honor,” but overtook it near the finish. “Lightning” completed the race in 9.47 seconds.

Both results were faster than Usain Bolt’s world record of 9.58 seconds, set at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin.

The robots’ finishes were less impressive: after crossing the line, “Tiangong Ultra” lost its balance and veered toward the edge of the track, forcing spectators to move away. “Lightning” fell and was carried away on a stretcher.

The results nevertheless marked a sharp improvement from last year. “Tiangong Ultra” won the 100-meter race at the previous Games in 21.50 seconds. Chinese state media also reported over the weekend that “Lightning” had recorded a time of 9.32 seconds in a test run, reaching a top speed of 14.5 meters per second.

The second World Humanoid Robot Games are being held in Beijing through August 26. A total of 2,056 robots from 666 teams representing 16 countries and six continents are taking part – nearly four times as many as last year.

The program features 51 events, including athletics, football, dancing and practical tasks. During the opening ceremony, robots played a demonstration football match, while in tennis and table tennis they competed alongside human players.