Beijing just hosted the inaugural World Humanoid Robot Games—a three-day spectacle where more than 280 teams from 16 countries put their androids to the test in Olympic-style contests. The lineup included everything from boxing and soccer to cleaning floors and sorting medicine.
Universities dominated the roster, but big players like Unitree and Fournier Intelligence also entered the arena. Unitree stole the spotlight, clinching gold in the 1,500-meter, 400-meter, 100-meter, and 4×100-meter dash. One of its robots hit 4.78 m/s—roughly 10 mph—while the 100-meter sprint wrapped up in 33.71 seconds. That’s nowhere near Usain Bolt’s 9.58-second human record, but it’s still a milestone for robotics.
For most teams, the races weren’t about chasing Bolt but proving their designs could run, pivot, and survive under pressure. The result? A mix of impressive performances and comic tumbles as robots collided, wobbled, and hit the ground.
The takeaway: humanoid robots are edging closer to practical use, but for now, they’re better at grabbing medals than replacing athletes—or cleaners.
