Philippine Championship 2024

A total of 171 competitors gathered across 37 rounds of intense play, making the Philippine Championship 2024 at SM Seaside in Cebu City, Philippines, one of the most remarkable showcases on the calendar. Running from July 5 to July 7, 2024, the three-day WCA competition brought together seasoned veterans and fresh talent across 17 official events. The atmosphere was defined by experienced speedcubing figures asserting their authority, demonstrating sharp form under tournament conditions and delivering top-tier marks across multiple disciplines.

Veteran international star Seung Hyuk Nahm produced an extraordinary performance across the big cubes, capturing four individual titles. In the 4x4x4 Cube, Nahm took first place with a 22.17 winning average, ahead of DongSoo Park with 25.89 and Leo Borromeo with 26.20. Nahm carried that dominance through to the 5x5x5 Cube with a 38.60 average, besting Park at 45.84 and Wei-Ming Zeng at 50.19. The Korean standout then completed a commanding sweep by securing the 6x6x6 Cube title in 1:15.92 and the 7x7x7 Cube with an average of 1:49.10.

The 3x3x3 Cube tournament delivered thrilling 3x3 results across four rounds of fierce competition among 165 entrants. Yiheng Wang claimed victory in the classic Rubik's Cube event, posting a decisive 5.04 winning average along with a best single of 4.33. Local favorite Brenton Angelo Lo Wong earned second place with a 6.17 average, while Nahm rounded out the podium in third with 6.25. Wang continued his blistering form in the 2x2x2 Cube, taking gold with a 1.19 average after recording a single of 0.93. During the 2x2x2 event, Wong established a new Philippine national record average of 1.56.

Specialist solving categories provided just as much drama across the weekend. Sean Patrick Villanueva captured the 3x3x3 One-Handed crown, posting a swift 9.69 average to lead a field of 112 competitors. Jansen Alvarez topped the Pyraminx final with a 2.46 winning average, while Kai-Lun Cheng secured the Skewb title with an average of 3.90. In Clock, local competitor Karl Abarquez claimed first place with a 4.43 average, edging past Mu-Cheng Liu at 4.54 and Elijah Francis Jagonio at 5.26 in a tight battle.

Further variety was on display as Choi Hyo-Jin won Megaminx with a 38.75 average, and Yi-Ho Hsueh captured Square-1 in 7.27. In the mental test of 3x3x3 Fewest Moves, DongSoo Park emerged victorious with a 26.00 average. The blindfolded roster saw Gavriel Johann Arcilla win both 3x3x3 Blindfolded with an 18.42 single and 3x3x3 Multi-Blind with 23 out of 32 cubes in 58:15. Rigil Carolino claimed the 4x4x4 Blindfolded title in 2:23.82, and Luis Gabriel Magadia took top honors in 5x5x5 Blindfolded in 16:42.00.

Away from the top of the podiums, the cubing competition saw tremendous personal milestones from participants across the venue. Jan Michael U. Quiling entered seven events, logging a first career 5x5x5 Cube mark of 1:41.61, while slicing his Pyraminx personal best by 60.1 percent down to 3.95 and improving his 4x4x4 Cube best by 8.2 percent to 40.65. Francis Aarone P. Jaictin achieved a major 33.1 percent improvement on his 3x3x3 Cube best with a 7.70 single, cut his Pyraminx best by 39.4 percent to 6.56, and recorded a first official 5x5x5 Cube single of 2:17.93 across five events.

The depth of progress continued with Samuel Jan Aquino taking on seven events, putting up a first career 4x4x4 Cube time of 57.59, an initial Megaminx solve of 2:02.51, and trimming his 3x3x3 Blindfolded personal best by 21 percent to 7:07.56. Bien Dranreb Gablines tackled ten separate events, posting first ever attempts in Megaminx at 1:38.72, Clock at 16.31, and Square-1 at 20.44. Larence Dayll C. Conde logged first marks in 3x3x3 Blindfolded at 5:44.58 and Clock at 10.76 while cutting 29.8 percent off his Pyraminx best to hit 8.38, and Juan Kwon registered initial times in Skewb at 16.30 and Clock at 18.60 alongside a 27.6 percent 4x4x4 Cube improvement down to 52.20.

Across three days of speed cubing, host nation competitors secured 30 podium positions, with Korea claiming 13, Taiwan seven, China five, and Japan and the USA earning one each. The Philippine Championship 2024 closed with an extraordinary range of accomplishments, celebrating experienced champions returning to peak form alongside dozens of competitors setting meaningful new benchmarks across every category.

Napuno ng matinding sigla at walang humpay na pag-ikot ng mga puzzle ang SM Seaside sa Cebu City, Philippines noong July 5 hanggang July 7, 2024. Sa bawat mesa ng naturang cubing competition, naging saksi ang lahat sa husay ng mga kalahok na humarap sa oras at presyur. Ang pinakamalaking tagpo ng bilis at diskarte sa bansa ay nagdala ng mga kapanapanabik na sandali kung saan bawat millisecond ay may katumbas na karangalan o kabiguan sa entablado.

Ang pinakamatinding dikitang laban ng buong weekend ay nasaksihan sa Clock final, kung saan labis na naging manipis ang pagitan sa podium. Nasungkit ni Karl Abarquez ang unang pwesto gamit ang winning average na 4.43 segundo, habang pumangalawa si Mu-Cheng Liu na nagtala ng 4.54 segundo, na may agwat lamang na 0.11 segundo. Pumasok naman sa ikatlong pwesto si Elijah Francis Jagonio na may 5.26 segundo. Ang ganitong dikit na resulta ang nagpatunay sa mataas na antas ng husay sa paligsahan.

Sa pangunahing kategorya ng 3x3x3 Cube, ipinamalas ni Yiheng Wang ang pambihirang bilis upang makuha ang kampeonato laban sa 165 na kalahok sa loob ng 4 rounds. Nagtala siya ng winning average na 5.04 segundo at best single na 4.33 segundo. Sumunod sa kanya sa podium si Brenton Angelo Lo Wong na nagtala ng 6.17 segundo, habang nakuha naman ni Seung Hyuk Nahm ang ikatlong pwesto sa bilis na 6.25 segundo sa paboritong Rubik's Cube event.

Hindi rin nagpaawat si Yiheng Wang sa 2x2x2 Cube matapos magwagi sa average na 1.19 segundo. Sa parehong kategorya, nagtala si Brenton Angelo Lo Wong ng National record average na 1.56 segundo para sa Pilipinas. Nagtapos si Ace Christian C. Wong sa ikalawang pwesto sa finals na may 1.90 segundo habang pumangatlo si Khayll Paolo Sandukan na may 1.94 segundo. Bawat solve sa mabilisang kategoryang ito ay nagdulot ng matinding tensyon sa pagitan ng mga manlalaro.

Naging dominado naman ni Seung Hyuk Nahm ang malalaking puzzle sa buong WCA competition. Nagwagi siya sa 4x4x4 Cube na may average na 22.17 segundo laban kay DongSoo Park na may 25.89 segundo at Leo Borromeo na nagtala ng 26.20 segundo. Nagwagi rin si Seung Hyuk Nahm sa 5x5x5 Cube sa bilis na 38.60 segundo, sa 6x6x6 Cube sa oras na 1:15.92, at sa 7x7x7 Cube sa pamamagitan ng 1:49.10 na average upang kumpletuhin ang kanyang pambihirang tagumpay.

Sa likod ng mga numero at podium, marami ring magagandang kwento ng pag-unlad ang naitala ng mga kalahok. Si Kahlil Marc Yagao ay sumabak sa 7 events at nagtala ng kanyang unang pagsubok sa 5x5x5 Cube sa oras na 1:54.80, habang pinabilis ang kanyang 4x4x4 Cube personal best nang 33.7 porsyento sa 49.66 segundo at Megaminx nang 21.9 porsyento sa 1:31.29. Si Alvarez Edel naman ay lumaban sa 12 events at nagtala ng unang subok sa 3x3x3 Fewest Moves na may 63, bukod sa pagpapababa ng kanyang Megaminx record sa 1:30.18 na 28.1 porsyentong mas mabilis at 6x6x6 Cube sa 3:50.51 na 27.5 porsyentong mas mabilis.

Ipinakita rin nina Jev Ulric Torres, Cris Lourence Camay, Rihannah Kadik Agbay, at Janahvelle Codilla Caracas ang kanilang determinasyon. Si Jev Ulric Torres ay sumabak sa 5 events kung saan nakuha niya ang 21st place sa 3x3x3 Fewest Moves gamit ang 39 sa kanyang unang pagsubok, at binawasan ang 3x3x3 One-Handed best nang 30.5 porsyento sa 15.95 segundo. Nagtala si Cris Lourence Camay ng unang subok sa 2x2x2 Cube na 5.90 segundo at pinabilis ang kanyang 3x3x3 One-Handed record nang 28 porsyento sa 27.58 segundo. Unang sumubok si Rihannah Kadik Agbay sa Clock sa oras na 18.19 segundo at pinababa ang 3x3x3 One-Handed best nang 23.7 porsyento sa 37.25 segundo. Si Janahvelle Codilla Caracas naman ay sumabak sa 7 events, nagtala ng unang subok sa Square-1 sa oras na 32.94 segundo, at nagtala ng 13.85 segundo sa 3x3x3 One-Handed na 28.5 porsyentong mas mabilis.

Sa iba pang kaganapan, nagwagi si Sean Patrick Villanueva sa 3x3x3 One-Handed sa average na 9.69 segundo, si Jansen Alvarez sa Pyraminx sa 2.46 segundo, si Kai-Lun Cheng sa Skewb sa 3.90 segundo, si Choi Hyo-Jin sa Megaminx sa 38.75 segundo, si Yi-Ho Hsueh sa Square-1 sa 7.27 segundo, at si DongSoo Park sa 3x3x3 Fewest Moves sa average na 26.00. Sa blindfolded solving, nagwagi si Gavriel Johann Arcilla sa 3x3x3 Blindfolded sa pamamagitan ng 18.42 single at sa 3x3x3 Multi-Blind gamit ang 23/32 sa loob ng 58:15. Naghari si Rigil Carolino sa 4x4x4 Blindfolded sa 2:23.82, at si Luis Gabriel Magadia sa 5x5x5 Blindfolded sa 16:42.00.

Nagtapos ang Philippine Championship 2024 na nag-iwan ng magagandang alaala para sa 171 na kalahok mula sa iba't ibang bansa na naglaban sa 17 events at 37 rounds. Mula sa dikitang laban sa bawat segundo hanggang sa mga bagong personal na tala, muling pinatunayan ng komunidad ng speedcubing ang kanilang galing at pagkakaisa sa pagtatapos ng torneo sa Cebu bago maghanda para sa mga susunod na hamon ng bagong panahon.