Ghana Open 2025

Inside the competition hall at Al-Rayan International School, the rhythmic clack of plastic turning at top speed set the tempo for an intense day of competition. Tables were lined with timers, mats, and score sheets as 73 competitors assembled in Accra, Ghana, for a packed schedule spanning six distinct disciplines. Across eight rounds of action, every solve carried heavy stakes. In longer puzzles and formats where every attempt counts directly toward the final score, the cost of a single mistake could dismantle an entire podium campaign in an instant.

The demanding nature of high-level speedcubing leaves no room for hesitation, particularly when solves stretch into minutes rather than seconds. Over the single-day gathering on May 3, 2025, competitors had to balance raw turning pace against the unforgiving penalty of a lockup or miscalculated algorithm. For those contesting multiple events across the day, maintaining concentration across differing puzzle geometries proved to be the ultimate test of consistency and composure.

Ghana Open 2025 saw Ransford Gyasi emerge as the standout performer of the tournament, capturing top honours across three separate disciplines. Gyasi delivered a composed victory in the 3x3x3 Cube, posting a winning average of 12.99 seconds after three rounds of play that culminated in an eight-person final. Gyasi also recorded the fastest single solve of the entire 3x3 tournament with an 8.41, finishing ahead of Pakistan competitor Yahya Hannan Saqib with a 14.96 average and South Africa competitor Ntando Jako with a 15.49 average to cap the 3x3 results.

Gyasi extended his winning form into the 2x2x2 Cube, taking first place in a field of 44 competitors with a 7.12 average and a best single of 6.00 seconds. Yahya Hannan Saqib took second place with a 7.13 average, missing top spot by a single hundredth of a second, while Leon Daishin Spannan of Germany secured third with 7.82. Gyasi then claimed a third victory in Megaminx, navigating the twelve-sided puzzle to post a winning average of 2:32.51 and a single of 2:14.83, leading Omar Sami Tayba of Lebanon and Salih Isa of Ghana on the podium.

Beyond the top steps of the podium, several competitors delivered remarkable personal milestones throughout the weekend. Priyansh Shah of India entered four events and achieved a major breakthrough in the 3x3x3 Rubik's Cube, recording a personal best of 24.06 seconds that improved on his previous mark of 1:05.67 by 63.4 percent, alongside his first ever attempt in the 4x4x4 Cube of 1:59.84. Peter Nyarko Dankwa took on four events, securing a 4th-place finish in Skewb with a first ever attempt of 27.63, while also logging his first ever attempt in 2x2x2 Cube at 8.33 and Pyraminx at 20.97. Krishiv Sunil Udhwani lowered his 3x3x3 personal best by 13.4 percent to 40.62 and registered a 14.27 in Pyraminx. Denzil Makafui Tevie made his WCA competition debut across five events, finishing 4th in Pyraminx and recording first attempts of 4.42 in 2x2x2 Cube and 1:56.25 in 4x4x4 Cube.

Other debutants made immediate impressions across the schedule at this cubing competition. Ilan Javen Mehdi competed in his first tournament across four events, placing 5th in Skewb with a 38.08 first attempt and posting a 14.38 first try in Pyraminx. Jun Fujiwara took on four events in his initial outing, finishing 6th in Pyraminx with a 10.27 single alongside a 7.08 first attempt in 2x2x2 Cube. Ali Jaber entered three events, taking 5th in Pyraminx with an 11.38 first attempt, while Kelvin Delali Tevie tackled three events to finish 11th in Pyraminx with a 9.01 first attempt and a 12.71 debut solve in 2x2x2 Cube.

In the remaining events, international competitors also left their mark on the leaderboard. In the 4x4x4 Cube, Ron van Bruchem of the Netherlands secured first place with an average of 52.57 seconds and a best single of 43.84, finishing ahead of Gyasi who clocked 1:01.44 and Peter Hugosson-Miller of Sweden with 1:54.43. The Pyraminx title went to Lebanon competitor Omar Sami Tayba, who recorded a 14.96 winning average and a 6.95 single to finish ahead of Leonardo Feghali of Italy at 15.78 and Ghana competitor Huda Karroum at 16.21.

The Skewb bracket rounded out the programme with a competitive final round. Salih Isa of Ghana claimed victory with a winning average of 17.06 seconds and a best single of 11.64, holding off Peter Hugosson-Miller who finished in 18.35 and Nicholas Yayra Akoto of Ghana who finished third with a 32.19 average. The result gave host nation Ghana its eighth podium placement of the competition, leading all represented countries in top-three finishes.

With six champions decided and dozens of debutants getting their initial taste of speed cubing, the event showcased the expanding reach of the discipline in West Africa. As the tables were cleared at Al-Rayan International School, Ghana Open 2025 concluded having established fresh standards of performance and giving dozens of aspiring solvers their first official marks on the competitive stage.