RUS Mall 2026

7.48 seconds was all it took for Shalóm Melquisedec Batz Rodríguez to seal the marquee 3x3x3 Cube title and assert complete authority over the weekend. Held on September 6, 2026, at the Centro Comercial RUS Mall in Ciudad de Guatemala, Guatemala, the single-day gathering saw top solvers battle across six official events. Batz Rodríguez emerged as the central figure of the tournament, combining blistering turns with consistent execution to take top honours and appear on podiums across multiple disciplines.

The 3x3 results confirmed Batz Rodríguez as the weekend benchmark, as his 7.48 winning mark held off a disciplined challenge from Jose Pablo Morales Gomez, who secured second place in 8.85 seconds. Natalia Sosa completed the all-Guatemalan podium by claiming third position with a sharp 8.90 finish. The high standard of classic Rubik's Cube solving set an intense tone throughout the venue, showcasing the depth of regional talent assembled for the competition.

Batz Rodríguez extended his dominance into 3x3x3 One-Handed, where he claimed another victory with an average of 14.29 seconds. Jose Pablo Morales Gomez once again proved to be his closest rival, earning the silver medal at 15.10 seconds, while Gabriel Barrios took third place with a solid 15.29. The mastery required to navigate single-handed turns under timer pressure highlighted the exceptional dexterity driving the top tiers of modern speedcubing.

In the 4x4x4 Cube, Jose Pablo Morales Gomez turned the tables to seize a well-earned victory with a winning time of 31.47 seconds. Batz Rodríguez pushed hard to finish right behind in second place at 32.51 seconds, adding yet another medal to his collection, while Aldo José Gramajo de León rounded out the podium in third with a 37.30 mark. The 2x2x2 Cube saw Juan Marcos López Pérez capture first place in 2.65 seconds, edging past Batz Rodríguez who clocked 2.67 for second, followed by Roberto Icaza Kinloch in third at 3.12.

A major highlight of RUS Mall 2026 was the national record production across both regional delegations. Nicaragua's Roberto Icaza Kinloch delivered a standout performance, establishing national records in the 3x3x3 Cube with an 8.12 single and an 11.50 average, as well as in Square-1 with a 19.53 single and a 21.34 average that also secured him the silver medal behind event winner Luis Hadriel López Jocón at 15.70. For Guatemala, Daniel Baeza set a national record average of 41.86 in 3x3x3 Blindfolded, finishing behind winner Gabriel Barrios who posted an exceptional 21.21 winning single, while Estheban Heredia finished third with 3:38.45.

Away from the podium ceremonies, this cubing competition provided fertile ground for breakthroughs and personal milestones. Ian Estuardo Quetzel delivered one of the weekend's sharpest jumps, taking his 2x2x2 personal best down to 9.33 seconds, a dramatic 50.8 percent improvement over his prior 18.98, alongside a 36.02 personal best in the 3x3x3. Erick Rosales Boj entered three events and secured a 7th-place finish in Square-1 with a first-ever attempt of 28.19, while trimming his 2x2x2 mark by 43.5 percent to 5.67 and his 3x3x3 best by 26.8 percent to 21.45. Américo Pineda Guerrero reduced his 2x2x2 best to 6.63, an improvement of 38.2 percent, while Hugo Matías Medina Ramirez competed across four events, finishing 20th in 4x4x4 with a 32.2 percent drop to 1:35.04 and cutting his 2x2x2 mark by 37.8 percent to 6.05.

First-time event attempts and debut appearances also told a compelling story on the floor. Jorge David Lemus Ortiz tackled four events, recording first-time marks of 3.76 in 2x2x2, 25.93 in 3x3x3 One-Handed to finish 13th, and 1:06.85 in 4x4x4. Oliver André Garcia Pinzón earned a 6th-place finish in 3x3x3 One-Handed with a 19.65 personal best that was 30.3 percent faster than before, alongside a 2.79 in 2x2x2. Damian Campos registered a new One-Handed effort of 22.43 for 11th place, and José Andrés Alvizures Duarte completed his first WCA competition by posting debut times of 4.90 in 2x2x2, 15.92 in 3x3x3, and 1:57.50 in 4x4x4.

With Guatemala claiming 16 podium places and Nicaragua earning two, RUS Mall 2026 underscored the competitive energy defining Central American speed cubing. The combination of multi-event mastery from Shalóm Melquisedec Batz Rodríguez, record-setting precision, and widespread developmental progress made the event a resounding success. Solvers from across the region now look forward to building on these marks as the next season of competition approaches.