A Chinese humanoid robot called “Superman” claims to have outrun Usain Bolt at 45 km/h.
A new humanoid robot from Chinese robotics company Unitree Robotics is making headlines after reportedly reaching a top speed of 12.66 meters per second, or around 45.6 km/h (28.3 mph). The company claims its "Superman" robot can run faster than sprinting legend Usain Bolt, although the claim has not been independently verified.
Chinese "Superman" Claims To Be Faster Than Usain Bolt
Unitree unveiled the humanoid robot on August 17, presenting it as a prototype designed to push the limits of robotic movement. According to the company, Superman reached 12.66 meters per second during testing. That would put it above the roughly 12.4 meters per second peak speed recorded by Usain Bolt during his 9.58-second 100-meter world record in 2009.
The robot is also capable of a two-meter standing vertical jump, according to Unitree. The company claims this is another area in which Superman surpasses human athletic records. Interestingly, the robot reportedly has legs measuring only around 0.85 meters.
Unitree says the prototype was developed in just over three months. The company is presenting the robot as another example of how quickly humanoid robotics is developing in China.
However, there is an important catch. The reported speed comes from Unitree itself, and the claim has not been independently verified. Business Insider specifically noted that it was unable to independently confirm that Superman had actually surpassed Bolt's human speed record.
The Robot Still Has A Long Way To Go
Despite the impressive numbers, Superman's test also showed that reaching a high speed is only one part of making a useful humanoid robot.
Footage from the test shows the robot running at high speed before losing control and crashing into an electrical box. The incident quickly became part of the online reaction to the robot, with many viewers questioning how practical such a machine currently is.
Chinese humanoid robot named "Superman", made by Unitree Robotics, surpassed Usain Bolt's world record (12.42 meters/second) by running at 12.66 m/s (roughly 28.3 miles/h) pic.twitter.com/xobXzUPDI5
— Massimo (@Rainmaker1973) August 18, 2026
Unitree's demonstration nevertheless highlights the rapid progress being made in humanoid robotics. The company has already developed several robots, while the wider industry is competing to create machines capable of running, jumping, and eventually performing useful tasks in the real world.
For now, Superman may have an impressive claimed top speed, but Usain Bolt's human world record remains a completely different achievement. The robot's reported performance is based on a company demonstration rather than an official athletic record. It will be interesting to see where robotics will head in the future.
What do you think about China's “Superman” robot? Let us know in the comments!
