Rocky Jerusalem 2023

Adam Tiro delivered a masterclass in sprinting across two days of competition at Rocky Jerusalem 2023, capturing the flagship 3x3x3 Cube title with a 10.26-second final average and a best single of 8.19 seconds. The lightning-fast display at the Rocky venue set the tone for the entire tournament, establishing Tiro as the pacesetter in Al-Eizariya, Jerusalem Governorate, Palestine. Thirty competitors battled through three grueling rounds in the classic Rubik's Cube category, but nobody could match the pace Tiro maintained when the pressure peaked in the final round.

The 2x2x2 Cube showdown proved just as thrilling, offering another stage for high-octane speedcubing action. Tiro secured the top step of the podium once more, logging an average of 4.18 seconds with a best single of 3.18 seconds to edge out Mohammad Ahmad Abu Hussein, who finished second with a 4.44 average. Maroun Azam took third place with a 5.05 average, completing a fiercely contested final round that saw twenty-three entrants whittled down to a fast three-man podium over the course of three full rounds.

Across the two days of August 17 to August 18, Rocky Jerusalem 2023 welcomed thirty-six competitors who took on ten distinct events spanning eighteen rounds. Mohammad Ahmad Abu Hussein stood out across the broader schedule, taking four individual titles. He clinched victory in Pyraminx with an average of 7.00 seconds, took the top spot in Skewb with a 6.45 average, dominated 3x3x3 One-Handed with a 17.65 average, and secured first place in Megaminx with a winning mark of 1:26.94.

The big cubes also delivered notable drama as Tiro extended his winning ways into the heavier puzzles. In the 4x4x4 Cube, Tiro logged an average of 37.44 seconds and a single of 33.24 seconds across two rounds of play, besting Mohammad Ahmad Abu Hussein who placed second at 48.06 seconds. Tiro followed that with another victory in the 5x5x5 Cube, where he posted a winning average of 1:26.68 and a sharp 1:10.39 single to lead a five-player field.

Specialist categories rounded out the official schedule, showcasing technical versatility and mental endurance. Ahmad Abu Hussein captured the Square-1 event with a 1:04.15 average and a best single of 53.37 seconds. Meanwhile, in 3x3x3 Blindfolded, where competitors must memorize the puzzle entirely before donning a blindfold to solve it, Sweden's Peter Hugosson-Miller took first place with a single solve of 3:59.30. By the end of the competition, Palestinian athletes collected twenty-five podium spots, Israel earned three, and Sweden took one.

Away from the top of the podium, several competitors achieved remarkable milestones that highlighted the depth of the cubing competition. Amir Mohammad Abdalhalim delivered an impressive personal best of 5.17 seconds in Skewb, which was 60.1 percent faster than his previous best, while also logging a 4.32 personal best in 2x2x2 Cube and making his first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed with a 33.38. Abd Al-Rhman Abu Snineh took on five events, earning a 6th-place finish in Megaminx while making his first ever attempts at Skewb with 5.19, Pyraminx with 23.34, and Megaminx with 3:51.74. Bara' Rame Zakarni set a 3x3x3 Cube personal best of 14.11, improving by 34.6 percent, and secured 5th place in 2x2x2 Cube. Joury Tiro recorded a 3x3x3 Cube personal best of 52.18, cutting 15.7 percent, and logged a first ever attempt at 2x2x2 Cube with a 10.30.

The surge of new personal milestones continued across the field as competitors expanded their repertoires. Khaled Mohammad Shanty entered seven events, taking 4th place in Pyraminx, making his first ever attempt at Megaminx with 4:10.84, and improving his 4x4x4 Cube mark to 1:53.14. Mohamd Omar Jabr secured 6th in the 3x3x3 Cube while dropping his personal best to 14.09, an 11 percent improvement, alongside his first ever attempt at 2x2x2 Cube with a 4.75. Mousa Naser Aldeen took part in his first WCA competition, entering five events and finishing 7th in 3x3x3 One-Handed after recording his first ever attempt at 3x3x3 Cube with 16.62. Lamees Kied Shqerat also debuted at this WCA competition, competing in three events and earning 9th in Megaminx while registering a first attempt at 3x3x3 Cube with 52.97.

The 2023 season in the region concluded with unforgettable speed cubing moments, establishing standard-setting marks across both sprint and endurance formats. The official 3x3 results and lightning-fast short-puzzle averages confirmed the rising standard of local solving. As competitors packed up their gear after an intense weekend of competition, Rocky Jerusalem 2023 stood as a vibrant celebration of precision, speed, and dedication on the speedcubing stage.