International Children's Day Evening Armenia 2024

A mere 0.37 seconds separated first and second place when the Skewb final reached its conclusion on June 1, 2024. That razor-thin margin set the tone for International Children's Day Evening Armenia 2024, an action-packed one-day gathering hosted at Loft Yerevan. Across three total rounds in two official disciplines, twenty-four competitors assembled in Yerevan, Armenia to test their preparation, deliver personal bests, and contest every single podium step down to fractions of a second.

The Skewb contest delivered the tightest duel of the entire cubing competition. Gagik Arshakyan seized the gold medal with a winning average of 4.59 seconds, supported by an event-best single solve of 3.78 seconds. Eduard Hakobyan applied immense pressure throughout the round, recording a 4.96 average to take the silver medal just behind Arshakyan. Grigor Shahverdyan locked up third place with an average of 7.33 seconds, ensuring the Skewb podium was completely swept by Armenian solvers in an intense single-round shootout.

The classic 3x3x3 Cube, universally recognized as the Rubik's Cube, brought twenty-four competitors together across two intense rounds. Grigor Shahverdyan took top honours on the main stage, capturing the title with a tournament-winning average of 9.71 seconds alongside a session single of 8.80. Eduard Hakobyan claimed another runner-up spot with a 10.93 average, while Ashot Ohanyan secured the bronze medal with an average of 13.63 seconds. The top step belonged to Shahverdyan, whose sub-10 consistency sealed the victory.

Official 3x3 results from the preliminary and final rounds demonstrated remarkable depth across the entire field. Eduard Hakobyan produced a stunning 8.44 single solve alongside a 9.53 average. Shahverdyan turned in a 9.31 single and a 10.42 average, while Davit Taranyan completed a 11.98 single and a 13.93 average. Vahan Sukiasyan delivered a 13.16 single and 14.43 average, and Ashot Ohanyan posted a 12.62 single with a 14.78 average. Narek Badalyan, Boris Meliksetian, Tigran Harutyunyan, Gagik Arshakyan, and Bogdan Gusakov all notched impressive official marks throughout the day.

Away from the top steps of the podium, several competitors achieved remarkable milestones on the competition floor. Bogdan Gusakov delivered a standout showing in the 3x3x3 Cube, recording a personal best single of 14.85 seconds that was 30.7 percent faster than his prior mark of 21.42 on the way to a tenth-place finish. Maria Kapshina shaved 29.8 percent off her previous standard with a new personal best of 16.14 seconds. Grig Sirakanyan improved his personal best by 27.9 percent to 27.04 seconds across his two events and posted a 21.53 in his first ever attempt at Skewb. Sos Ghahramanyan dropped his single to 24.17 seconds, a 28.1 percent leap.

The progress continued as Gagik Gevorgyan logged a 5.96 personal best in Skewb, which was 20.5 percent faster than his former best, while also taking fifth place. Davit Taranyan trimmed 12.9 percent off his standard to post a 9.27 personal best single and earn fifth place in the 3x3x3 Cube. Narek Badalyan took on two events, placing fourth in Skewb with a first ever attempt of 6.83 while cutting his 3x3x3 Cube best by 8.1 percent to 14.80. Meanwhile, Ruben Titanyan tackled his first WCA competition, recording an 18.97 in his first ever attempt at the 3x3x3 Cube.

This evening of speedcubing highlighted how quickly the sport continues to develop in the region. With all six podium positions across both disciplines going to Armenian competitors, the national community showed strong control over the hardware at Loft Yerevan. The mix of seasoned tournament veterans and enthusiastic newcomers gave the short-format event a distinctive energy from the opening turns through the final presentation.

As the curtain came down on International Children's Day Evening Armenia 2024, the focused two-event schedule proved that a compact speed cubing program can deliver maximum excitement. Whether deciding medals by hundredths of a second or watching debutants log their earliest official solves, the gathering highlighted the dedication required to excel. Solvers now turn their attention to the training table, eager to carry their speed into the next season of competition.