Kuwaiti Nationals 2024

A winning average of 9.14 seconds secured the main prize at the Kuwait Science Club this past weekend. A field of 70 competitors travelled to Al Zahra, Kuwait for the Kuwaiti Nationals 2024, held from October 11 to 12. Across 16 events and 19 rounds of WCA competition, competitors sought regional bragging rights and national titles. The championship format meant the pressure was palpable in every discipline, from the classic 3x3x3 Cube to the demanding blindfolded events.

Singapore's Gabriel Tan emerged as the 3x3x3 Cube champion, putting together a winning average of 9.14 seconds and a best single solve of 7.56 seconds. The 3x3 results saw Ahmad Alolaimi of Kuwait finish second with an average of 9.22 seconds, while Abdullah Alhaddad, also of Kuwait, claimed third with 11.15 seconds. Tan also topped the Pyraminx with an average of 4.80 seconds and the 4x4x4 Cube with 33.22 seconds, rounding out a successful speedcubing weekend for the Singaporean competitor.

Ahmad Alolaimi set multiple records while dominating the 2x2x2 Cube. Alolaimi won the event with an average of 3.32 seconds, posting a best single of 2.86 seconds. The event saw a flurry of national records, with Alolaimi securing the Kuwaiti national record single of 2.52 seconds and average of 3.42 seconds in earlier rounds. In the final, Gabriel Tan took second place with a 3.48-second average, and Ghanim Abdulaziz Almutawa finished third with 3.78 seconds. Alolaimi also secured victory in 3x3x3 One-Handed with an average of 14.76 seconds.

Zakarya Otair of Jordan had a remarkable weekend, claiming victory in nine different events. Otair's dominance extended across the larger cubes, winning the 5x5x5 Cube with an average of 1:11.66, the 6x6x6 Cube in 2:21.44, and the 7x7x7 Cube in 4:26.51. In the blindfolded disciplines, which require intense memorisation, Otair won 3x3x3 Blindfolded with a 27.15-second average, 4x4x4 Blindfolded, 5x5x5 Blindfolded, and 3x3x3 Multi-Blind, achieving 28 out of 40 cubes in one hour. Otair also won Clock with a 5.98-second average and Megaminx in 59.53 seconds.

Beyond the podiums, the Kuwaiti Nationals 2024 provided a stage for significant personal achievements. Fredrick Farouk slashed his Skewb personal best to 5.76 seconds, a massive 75.7 percent improvement, while Mohamed Husain Fateel improved his Pyraminx best by 54.5 percent down to 5.96 seconds. Ali Alqattan also made a huge leap in Pyraminx, cutting his time by 54.2 percent to 6.40 seconds. Bader Almufarrej showed excellent progress in the classic Rubik's Cube, dropping his personal best by 46 percent to 31.12 seconds.

For others, the weekend was about stepping into new territory. Sayed Haidar Ibrahim took on seven events, recording his first ever attempt at 4x4x4 Cube with 1:25.90. Deema Mahmoud Alshammari entered nine events, setting her first mark in Clock at 30.58 seconds. Bhavishya Rohra, competing in his first WCA competition, placed an impressive 11th in the 2x2x2 Cube with a first-ever attempt of 4.16 seconds. Ammar Mohammed Almutawaa also made his debut, placing 10th in the 5x5x5 Cube with a time of 3:08.99.

The 2x2x2 Cube event was particularly record-heavy, with numerous competitors establishing new national benchmarks. Alongside Alolaimi's marks, Gabriel Tan secured Singaporean records with a 2.20-second single and a 3.53-second average. Several Kuwaiti competitors also set records in the event, including Abdulrahman Alali, Abdulmohsen Almunayes, Ghanim Abdulaziz Almutawa, Alkawthar Jaber Akbar, Hussain Merza, Saoud Abdulaziz Almutawa, and Shaikha Albarjas. Omar Ziad also set Egyptian records for the 2x2x2 Cube single and average.

Omar Ziad claimed victory in Square-1, winning with an average of 21.37 seconds. Ghanim Abdulaziz Almutawa won the Skewb event, posting an average of 3.87 seconds. The diverse range of events at the Kuwaiti Nationals 2024 showcased the breadth of talent in the region. Host nation Kuwait led the podium count with 24 top-three finishes, followed by Jordan with 11, Germany with six, Singapore with five, and Egypt with three. The speed cubing community in Al Zahra put on an excellent display of skill and determination.