A Chinese humanoid robot has surpassed Usain Bolt’s men’s 100-metre world record after completing the distance in 9.39 seconds at the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing.

The robot, Tiangong Ultra, developed by the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center, won its preliminary heat at the second edition of the competition on Saturday.

It initially fell behind a rival robot, Honor’s Lightning, before accelerating in the closing stages to finish ahead in 9.39 seconds. Lightning crossed the line in 9.47 seconds, with both robots recording times faster than Bolt’s 9.58-second world record set in Berlin in 2009.

The robots, however, struggled to maintain their balance after the race. Tiangong Ultra stumbled and crashed towards the sidelines after crossing the finish line, forcing spectators to move out of its path, while Lightning also collapsed and had to be removed on a stretcher.

Despite the dramatic finish, Tiangong Ultra’s performance marked a significant improvement on its result at last year’s inaugural games, when it completed the 100 metres in 21.50 seconds.

Lightning had previously clocked 9.32 seconds during a training test, according to Chinese state media, reaching a top speed of 14.5 metres per second.

Tiangong Ultra also claimed victory in the humanoid half-marathon held in Beijing this year, finishing in 50 minutes and 26 seconds. Its developers reportedly increased its leg length from 95 centimetres to 1.05 metres to enhance its running ability.

The 100-metre sprint is among 51 events at the World Humanoid Robot Games, which includes competitions in football, dance and industrial tasks.

While the robots’ times are faster than Bolt’s record, their performances are not directly comparable with human athletics because the competition involves machines operating under different physical and technical conditions.