China’s TienKung Robot Breaks Human High Jump Record, Clears 2.88m, Surpassing 2.45m Mark Set in 1993 (Video)

A Chinese humanoid robot has broken the human world record for the standing high jump, clearing an impressive 2.88 metres at the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing. The feat was achieved by TienKung, a humanoid robot developed by Beijing-based X-Humanoid.

TienKung Shatters Javier Sotomayor's 1993 Record

TienKung's 2.88-metre jump surpassed the human high jump world record of 2.45 metres, set by Cuba's Javier Sotomayor in 1993. It also marked a dramatic improvement over the best humanoid robot performance recorded at last year's inaugural edition of the games, when a robot managed a standing high jump of just 0.95 metres.

TienKung Robot Breaks Human High Jump Record With 2.88m Leap

Opening Day Of World Humanoid Robot Games

The record-breaking performance came on the opening day of the five-day World Humanoid Robot Games, an Olympics-style event showcasing China's advances in humanoid robotics. More than 2,000 humanoid robots are participating in the games, with competitions spanning 51 events and more than 1,000 contests. China’s Humanoid Robot ‘Lightning’ Beats Usain Bolt’s 100m Record With 9.32-Second Run (Video).

Robots are competing in sporting events including running, table tennis, soccer, weightlifting and tug of war. Hundreds of humanoid robots also marched in formation during the opening ceremony, demonstrating their ability to coordinate movements.

Another X-Humanoid Robot Beats Usain Bolt's 100m Record

TienKung was not the only Chinese humanoid robot to break a human sporting record at the event. Another X-Humanoid robot reportedly completed the 100-metre sprint in 9.39 seconds, faster than Jamaican sprint legend Usain Bolt's human world record of 9.58 seconds, set in 2009. Ultra-Bionic Robot At World Robot Conference 2026 in Beijing Priced At USD 17,000, Wows With Human-Like Blinking (Video).

A humanoid robot developed by Chinese smartphone maker Honor had earlier clocked 9.32 seconds during a trial for the games, reaching a peak speed of 14.5 metres per second, according to the company.

Games Held At Beijing's 2022 Winter Olympics Venue

The robot games are being held at Beijing's National Speed Skating Oval, a venue built for the 2022 Winter Olympics. The event comes as China accelerates development of humanoid robots amid intensifying technological competition with the United States.

China produces a major share of the world's humanoid robots, although experts note that the technology remains largely focused on demonstrations, performances and research. Widespread real-world deployment of humanoid robots is expected to take more time.

The second edition of the games features participants from 16 countries, including Germany, Japan and the United States, highlighting the growing global interest in humanoid robotics.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 22, 2026 11:52 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).