Humanoid robots are showing rapid gains in speed and athletic ability at a major robotics competition in China, but the more difficult challenge may be whether they can handle everyday tasks without human help.
The games, heavily promoted by Chinese state media, feature 51 events, including 30 sports competitions and 21 scenario-based contests. More than 40% require robots to operate fully autonomously, according to Huawei, a technology partner of the games.
On Saturday, 2 robots ran the 100-metre sprint faster than Usain Bolt’s 9.58-second world record. This marked a major improvement from 2025, when the winning robot took more than 20 seconds. However, braking remained a challenge, with the machines crashing into a thick mat several metres beyond the finish line.
Another humanoid, from the same model as the 100-metre winner, completed 400 metres in 39.7 seconds, beating South African athlete 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 robotics investor Xu Qiaosheng.
“It holds huge significance for the development of China’s industrial sector.”
The competition also includes tug-of-war, weightlifting, Tai Chi and pitch-pot, a traditional Chinese game in which players throw arrow-like sticks into a narrow-necked vase.
But some of the most important tests involve ordinary physical challenges. Robots must deal with cables at unexpected angles, objects that are difficult to reach, shifting packages and missed steps. These tasks test their ability to identify objects, position their bodies and hands precisely, apply controlled force and recover from mistakes without human intervention.
Lumos Robotics CEO Yu Chao said the event could help improve robot hardware and showcase the industry. However, he said practical problem-solving would determine the technology’s long-term value.
“Only when it can work in those end scenarios does it have real value,” Yu said. “Simply running and jumping does not improve efficiency.”
The event also features competitions in EV charging, restaurant work, emergency incident handling, hand dexterity, industrial assembly and material loading.
A cable connection challenge specifically tests robotic vision, mechanical alignment and force control.
Beijing-based robotics startup Galbot is also staging an autonomous humanoid tennis match, with robots competing in singles and doubles while tracking the ball, serving and returning shots.
For Hua Rong, chief marketing officer at robotics firm Zeroth, the real measure of progress will come after the demonstrations.
“The competition will be whether, after the product is sold, it can really solve users’ problems,” she said.
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