DIA EH Cube for Change Dubai A 2025

The competition hall at the Dubai International Academy - Emirates Hills buzzed with relentless energy on January 25, 2025. Across the tables, stopwatches clicked and puzzle layers snapped into place as 75 competitors gathered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, to test their discipline and resolve. While short sprints on smaller puzzles naturally draw rapid glances, it is the big cubes that truly test a competitor stamina, spatial foresight, and mental endurance across long, complex solves.

The 5x5x5 Cube proved to be a masterclass in pacing and concentration. Armax Zander Guevara of the Philippines rose above a field of 25 competitors to capture the title at DIA EH Cube for Change Dubai A 2025. Guevara produced a stunning 58.49 single alongside a dominant winning average of 1:06.81, showing total control across every stage of reduction. Abdallah Belal Omar of Jordan secured the second spot on the podium with a 1:12.63 average, while Pakistan's Mohammad Owais claimed third place averaging 1:15.29.

Owais was not done leaving his mark on the heavier puzzles. In the 4x4x4 Cube, where 34 solvers battled across a tense single round, Owais delivered the quickest solve of the event with a 28.61 single and locked down first place with a winning average of 37.90. Korea's Taehoon Yoo matched that exact 37.90 average to take second place in a thrilling tiebreak, while Lebanon's Daniel Omar Saad rounded out the podium in third with an average of 40.36, highlighting the deep international field present in this speedcubing showcase.

Away from the top steps of the podium, several competitors made substantial breakthroughs across their individual events. Eisa Humaid took on four events, securing a 21st-place finish in the 4x4x4 Cube with a personal best of 1:04.00, shaving 59.4% off his previous mark, and recorded his first ever attempt in Pyraminx at 11.64. Mohamad Nihad Al Sufe completed five events, cutting his Pyraminx personal best by 50.3% down to 7.71 and taking his first official attempt at the 5x5x5 Cube with a time of 7:18.62. Daivik Kunal Panchal entered five disciplines, setting a 4x4x4 Cube personal best of 1:25.06 to improve by 49% and notching a 3:44.52 in his first 5x5x5 Cube attempt. Swarit Singh Jasrotia marked his first official attempt at 4x4x4 Cube with 1:26.60 and improved his Pyraminx best by 49.4% to 5.38.

The steady progress continued across the venue as emerging talent tested new categories. Jaineel Nileshkumar Shah logged a first attempt at 5x5x5 Cube of 4:11.31 and improved his 2x2x2 Cube personal best by 47.1% to 1.76 on the way to an 8th-place finish in the main event. Eldwyn Charles Gonzales tackled five events, registering a first 5x5x5 Cube attempt of 1:33.14 to finish 7th, while also dropping his Pyraminx best by 36.9% to 6.71. Making their first appearance at an official WCA competition, Ghanem Hamed Zarook took on five disciplines, finishing 8th in 5x5x5 Cube with a 1:53.76 initial mark and logging 51.91 in his first 4x4x4 Cube attempt. Fellow debutant Adhrit Panda also completed five events, putting up an opening 3:17.74 in the 5x5x5 Cube to secure 16th place.

The classic Rubik's Cube brought out 72 participants across two high-stakes rounds. Armax Zander Guevara doubled his gold medal tally for the weekend, capturing victory in the 3x3x3 Cube with a winning average of 8.43 and a tournament-best single of 7.96. The 3x3 results saw Mohammad Owais take silver with a 9.14 average, while India's Rannanjay Singh Kotwal earned bronze with a 9.49 average. Guevara's dual titles in both 3x3x3 and 5x5x5 underscored his exceptional range across different puzzle sizes.

Short-format events delivered intense drama and record-setting moments. In the 2x2x2 Cube, Abdallah Belal Omar set a National record average for Jordan of 2.01 during the competition before winning the final with an average of 2.38 and a 1.74 single. Taehoon Yoo secured second place with a 2.63 average, while Rannanjay Singh Kotwal claimed third averaging 2.66. The Pyraminx contest wrapped up with Theodora Lynn Cha of Korea taking top honors with a winning average of 4.89 and a 3.68 best single, finishing ahead of Kotwal at 5.16 and Russia's Andrey Zhukov at 6.15.

With 7 rounds across 5 events successfully completed, DIA EH Cube for Change Dubai A 2025 concluded as a prime showcase of endurance and precision. From the demanding reductions of the big cubes to the split-second turns of the sprint events, the gathering highlighted the vibrant spirit of speed cubing in the region. Competitors departed Dubai with fresh personal milestones and national marks, setting a formidable standard for the 2025 season.