Nacionales Guatemala 2024

Sixty-three competitors gathered at Colegio Caré from December 6 to December 8 for a high-tempo showcase of agility, precision, and rapid improvement. The 2024 national speed cubing gathering in Guatemala City, Guatemala proved how quickly rising talents are cutting seconds off their times across every format. Across 25 scheduled rounds over three days, the cubing competition delivered standout moments in classic puzzles and complex specialty challenges alike, highlighting a generation that refuses to slow down.

The premier 3x3x3 Cube contest, which drew 61 competitors across three intense rounds, saw Jose Javier Melendez Maldonado seize the title with a winning average of 8.50 seconds. Melendez Maldonado registered a sharp single of 7.67 seconds during the round to anchor his victory. The standard Rubik's Cube final capped a weekend of remarkable depth, providing definitive 3x3 results that showed the top tier of Guatemalan speedcubing operating at a blistering, sub-nine-second standard.

Shalóm Melquisedec Batz Rodríguez produced one of the most prolific campaigns of the entire weekend, securing six individual gold medals. In the 2x2x2 Cube, Batz Rodríguez established a national record average of 1.96 seconds, accompanied by a single of 1.76 seconds on his way to winning the event with a 2.60 final average. He also claimed top honors in 3x3x3 One-Handed with an average of 14.77, 4x4x4 Cube with a 31.04 average, Pyraminx at 3.84, 5x5x5 Cube in 1:00.87, and Skewb with an average of 4.20.

Big cube mastery was also on full display thanks to Javier Siquité, who completed a commanding triple victory across three distinct disciplines. Siquité captured first place in the 6x6x6 Cube with a winning average of 1:57.58, followed by a victory in the 7x7x7 Cube with an average of 3:09.09, where his best single reached 2:58.61. To complete his sweep, Siquité also earned the gold medal in Square-1, recording an average of 15.28 seconds and a single of 10.95.

Beyond the podiums, the official WCA competition served as a launchpad for immense personal progress and bold debuts. Saul Alejandro Lopez Roldan dropped his 2x2x2 Cube personal best by 52.6 percent to 6.98 seconds and improved his 3x3x3 time by 48.4 percent to 17.74. Christian Sebastián Sánchez Santos delivered a 47.5 percent cut to his 4x4x4 Cube personal best with a time of 46.44 seconds, took fifth place in Skewb, and posted his first ever official attempt at 5x5x5 Cube in 2:13.26. Samuel Elias Quezada García shaved 46.8 percent off his 3x3x3 Cube best with a 26.72, while Diego Alejandro Ajquejay Chavez trimmed 47.9 percent to set a 2x2x2 Cube mark of 4.21 seconds.

Expanding into new arenas was a common theme throughout the lower brackets. Juan Marcos López Pérez took on 11 events, achieving a best finish of ninth in Skewb while attempting Megaminx, Square-1, and 3x3x3 Blindfolded for the very first time. Daniel Eduardo Bardales Otzoy entered seven disciplines, earning seventh in 5x5x5 Cube while logging his first official attempts at 4x4x4 Cube, 5x5x5 Cube, and Pyraminx. Meanwhile, fresh newcomers embraced their first WCA competition with confidence: Herber David Marroquin Garcia tackled six events, finishing 15th in Megaminx, while Rodrigo Antonio Alfaro Gonzalez posted a debut 3x3x3 Cube solve of 12.94 seconds.

The blindfolded categories demanded exceptional concentration, and Daniel Baeza rose to the occasion by sweeping every memory-based event on the schedule. Baeza captured the 3x3x3 Blindfolded title with a decisive single of 1:29.06, edging out Sergio Bulux who finished in 1:29.14. Baeza extended his dominance into long-form disciplines, winning 4x4x4 Blindfolded in 6:17.06, 5x5x5 Blindfolded in 11:58.00, and leading the 3x3x3 Multi-Blind event with a successful 4 out of 5 cubes solved in 18 minutes and 20 seconds.

Specialized puzzles rounded out the remaining hardware. Juan Jose Ajcam won the Megaminx with an average of 48.21 seconds and a low single of 42.84, while Natalia Sosa topped the Clock event by securing a winning average of 9.64 seconds. In 3x3x3 Fewest Moves, Adrián Ramírez took the gold with an efficient solution of 42 moves.

With 44 podium spots claimed by the host nation alongside international podium finishers from Costa Rica and Colombia, Nacionales Guatemala 2024 illustrated the vibrant health of the regional scene. As emerging competitors continue to turn steep learning curves into breakthrough records, the stage is set for an even faster competitive landscape in the seasons ahead.