Shenzhou-18 taikonauts hold "Olympics" aboard China Space Station

The three Shenzhou-18 crew members aboard the orbiting China Space Station (CSS), Ye Guangfu, Li Cong and Li Guangsu, celebrated the Paris Summer Olympics and China's 16th National Fitness Day on Thursday.

The space games began with a mock torch relay, according to a video released by the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).

Commander Ye Guangfu, dressed in an extravehicular suit, handed an improvised torch to his crew member Li Cong, who floated over a hurdle to pass it to his crewmate Li Guangsu. Li Guangsu received the torch and performed a skillful upright long jump before returning it to the commander, who completed the relay with a graceful back jump.

Subsequently, the orbital games began. Li Guangsu showcased impressive skills in the men's singles "table tennis match."

While watching a thrilling group stage match of China's women's volleyball team, Ye Guangfu and Li Cong started playing "volleyball" in zero gravity.

In the lighthearted video, the trio in the 16-meter-long Tianhe core module playfully imitated swimming postures in a "men's medley," racing against one another in a mock pool, with Ye eventually winning the competition by a slight margin. They then proceeded to mimic the actions of Olympic divers.

The final event of the space games was "weightlifting." Commander Ye lifted a bar carrying Li Guangsu and Li Cong off the "ground," pretending to exert great effort in their zero-gravity environment, even pausing to wipe away imaginary sweat.

As the end of the video, the trio sent their best wishes to Team China, encouraging them to embrace challenges and pursue their dreams. They encouraged the Chinese athletes to surpass limits, set new milestones and achieve extraordinary successes.

The Shenzhou-18 crew is more than halfway through a six-month space mission that started with their launch in late April. Their days in orbit are a balanced mix of scientific experiments, spacewalks and personal well-being. To maintain their physical fitness, the taikonauts diligently exercise and have completed a range of weightlessness protection experiments.

Read more: China Space Station: How do Shenzhou-18 taikonauts stay healthy in space?