Cambodia Championship 2024

Jake Lau Chiu Him produced a blistering 9.17-second final average to claim the premier 3x3x3 Cube title, navigating a demanding three-round contest in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. That decisive victory capped a dense single-day program on September 8, 2024, where 48 competitors converged on the ATC (AUPP Technology Center). With 47 participants contesting the classic puzzle, the main event demanded absolute precision from the opening scramble to the final solve, setting the tone for a remarkably competitive weekend of speedcubing across seven distinct disciplines.

The journey through the 3x3 results proved especially unforgiving, as the multi-round format winnowed the massive field down to an elite podium. Lau Chiu Him, representing Hong Kong, held off China's Chenge Liu, who secured second place with an average of 9.28 seconds, while Taiwan's Chao-Che Chung took third on 9.62 seconds. Every turn carried substantial weight in the 3x3x3 Cube, where Lau Chiu Him also delivered the fastest single of the event at 7.84 seconds. Advancing to the final round required navigating high-pressure cutoffs and intense head-to-head consistency.

Beyond the flagship Rubik's Cube event, Chao-Che Chung authored a commanding display across multiple categories to lead the weekend's medal tally for Taiwan. Chung collected first-place trophies in three separate disciplines, taking the 2x2x2 Cube with a 3.55-second winning average, the 3x3x3 One-Handed event at 15.61 seconds, and Skewb with an average of 3.99 seconds. In total, competitors from Taiwan collected nine podium positions across the tournament, reflecting the international depth present throughout the nine scheduled rounds.

The 2x2x2 Cube event stood out for its fierce national battle, drawing 39 competitors into a tight contest for podium positions. While Chung claimed the top spot, Cambodia's Neav Nouv Samel Panha Pisoth secured second place with a historic performance, establishing a Cambodian national record single of 2.43 seconds and a national record average of 3.73 seconds. Lau Chiu Him added to his weekend hardware by securing third place with an average of 3.76 seconds, edging out a crowded pack where the top five finishers all averaged under four seconds.

In the larger twisty puzzles, Rui-Jun Liu of Taiwan showcased complete command of the hardware by securing a pair of gold medals. In the 4x4x4 Cube, Liu outpaced 28 competitors with a winning average of 36.09 seconds, recording a best single of 31.49 seconds to finish ahead of Chung at 37.70 seconds and Chenge Liu at 42.54 seconds. Rui-Jun Liu repeated that success in the Pyraminx, leading a 30-player field with a winning mark of 5.38 seconds, once again finishing ahead of Chung, who posted an average of 5.53 seconds.

Away from the top of the podiums, the cubing competition provided a stage for breakthrough milestones across the broader field. Phearom Rithysak slashed their personal best in the 3x3x3 Cube down to 15.02 seconds, a 67.4 percent improvement over their previous 46.07 mark, while also taking on their first ever attempts in Pyraminx at 8.65 seconds and 2x2x2 Cube at 3.63 seconds. John Lau Hing Ming posted a 64.9 percent improvement on his 2x2x2 Cube best with a 7.98-second solve and made his debut in Pyraminx at 16.22 seconds. Nguon Vaddhanak entered seven events, securing fourth in 3x3x3 One-Handed while improving his personal best by 29.5 percent down to 17.85 seconds, and Chhun Seraden dropped their Pyraminx mark by 39.9 percent to 7.39 seconds.

The influx of first-time entrants at this WCA competition demonstrated significant potential across multiple formats. Vanroth Chea made their official tournament debut across six events, claiming sixth place in Pyraminx and clocking a first attempt of 20.62 seconds in 3x3x3 One-Handed alongside a 48.13-second solve on the 4x4x4 Cube. Fellow debutant Te Khayhour secured fifth in Pyraminx with an initial attempt of 6.42 seconds and logged a 9.28-second solve on the 3x3x3 Cube. Nop Mengtry took fourth in Skewb during their first tournament, recording a 14.99-second mark in 3x3x3 One-Handed, while Meng Lang Tang tackled six disciplines, reaching seventh place in Pyraminx with an initial mark of 5.99 seconds.

The 3x3x3 Blindfolded discipline delivered a memorable home triumph as Keat Khemreach captured first place for Cambodia. Solving the puzzle strictly from memory without sight, Khemreach registered a single of 2:17.78 to take the gold medal ahead of Lau Chiu Him at 3:30.20 and Chung at 3:23.59. Blindfolded solving remains one of the purest tests of concentration in speed cubing, and Khemreach's victory provided the host nation with its standout gold of the weekend.

By the time the final awards were distributed at Cambodia Championship 2024, the gathering in Phnom Penh underlined the rising technical standard in the region. Across seven varied disciplines, the intense battles for qualification spots and finals appearances highlighted the immense concentration needed to survive large tournament brackets. As local records fell and new competitors established their initial official benchmarks, the stage was firmly set for another high-caliber year of international competition.