The bustling city of Beijing has transformed into a hub of innovation this week, hosting an extraordinary showcase where humanoid robots are engaging in a wide array of activities. From racing and weightlifting to playing tennis, these robots are demonstrating the impressive advancements of China’s swiftly evolving robotics industry.
Spanning five days, the World Humanoid Robot Games features over 50 diverse events. Participants will compete in everything from familiar sports such as the 100-meter dash and tug-of-war to complex challenges that simulate real-world tasks commonly found in factories, restaurants, offices, and emergency scenarios.
Beneath the spectacle of these events lies a deeper contest—one that isn’t about clocking the fastest times but rather focusing on how adeptly these machines handle unexpected situations. The true test lies in their resilience when things don’t go as planned.
The organizers are pushing the boundaries to determine whether these machines can perceive, analyze, and react to the chaotic and unpredictable realities of everyday life, and envisage a future where robots can perform tasks efficiently without human intervention.
Widely covered by Chinese state media, the games include 51 events divided into 30 athletic competitions and 21 scenario-based challenges, each meticulously designed to test and showcase the capabilities of the latest in robotics technology.
More than 40 per cent of the events require robots to operate fully autonomously, according to Huawei, a tech partner of the games.
Intensity ‘higher than ever’
The event is in its second year, and some robots are already outperforming the 2025 results.
On Saturday, two robots ran faster than Usain Bolt’s 9.58-second world record in the 100-meter sprint. That was a sharp improvement from 2025, when the winning robot’s time was more than 20 seconds.
Braking was an issue, as the machines slammed into a thick mat that organisers placed several metres after the finish line.
Another humanoid, the same model as the 100-meter champion, ran 400 metres in 39.7 seconds, faster than South African Wayde van Niekerk’s world record of 43.03 seconds.
“The intensity is higher than last year, which places significant demands on the robot’s battery management and thermal dissipation capabilities,” said spectator and robotics investor Xu Qiaosheng.
“It holds huge significance for the development of China’s industrial sector.”
READ MORE: Matt Damon’s Unforgettable Disneyland Visit: Embracing the Magic with Goofy
Robots will compete in tug-of-war and weightlifting, while Tai Chi and pitch-pot — in which contestants throw arrow-like sticks into a narrow-necked vase — will give traditional Chinese sports a futuristic twist.
Can robots problem solve?
Beyond the spectacle, the more revealing tests could come when robots encounter the small imperfections of the physical world: a cable at the wrong angle, an object just out of reach, a shifting package or a missed step.
That tests whether robots can identify objects, accurately position their hands and bodies, apply controlled force and recover from errors without human intervention.
Lumos Robotics Chief Executive Yu Chao said the games could help improve hardware and provide a showcase for the industry. But Yu said the longer-term value will depend on real-world problem solving.
“Only when it can work in those end scenarios does it have real value. Simply running and jumping does not improve efficiency,” he added.
In addition to more familiar events drawn from human sports, robots will compete in EV charging, restaurant work, emergency incident handling and hand-dexterity contests.
There are also industrial assembly and material loading events. A cable connection challenge is a test of vision, mechanical alignment and force control.
Beijing-based robotics startup Galbot said it would stage an autonomous humanoid tennis match, with robots competing in singles and doubles, including ball tracking, serving, and returning shots.
For Hua Rong, chief marketing officer at robotics firm Zeroth, the real test will come after the demonstrations end.
“The competition will be whether, after the product is sold, it can really solve users’ problems,” she said.