San Juan Neiva 2023

David Rendón Martínez delivered a masterclass across multiple disciplines at San Juan Neiva 2023, claiming three individual titles and capping his run with a dominant 10.65 winning average in the 3x3x3 Cube final. Held on January 28, 2023, at the Centro Comercial San Juan Plaza in Neiva, Huila, Colombia, the single-day gathering saw 36 competitors battle across 12 rounds in four distinct events. While Rendón Martínez secured the top step of the podium across most of the schedule, the defining narrative of the tournament was the relentless wave of personal progression and breakthrough marks logged throughout the field.

The 3x3x3 Cube event, universally known as the classic Rubik's Cube, featured 34 competitors and three intense rounds of action. Rendón Martínez set the standard early, recording the weekend's best single solve of 8.40 seconds before cementing victory with his 10.65 final average. Juan David Martinez Riveros took second place with a solid 14.33 average, while Cristhian Gaitán Guzmán rounded out the podium in third with a mark of 14.91. For fans checking the 3x3 results, the contest offered a clear demonstration of high-level consistency, as the top contenders separated themselves round by round.

Beyond the premier puzzle, the speedcubing program delivered sharp contests in the shorter formats. In the 2x2x2 Cube, 28 competitors took to the tables across three rounds, with Rendón Martínez prevailing again by posting a winning average of 3.94 and a single of 3.13. Alejandro Barreto López took the runner-up spot with a 4.56 average, closely followed by Cristhian Gaitán Guzmán in third at 4.83. The fast-turning event saw ten different competitors register baseline national benchmark single and average times during the tournament, adding extra significance to the bracket.

The Skewb bracket drew 18 entrants and saw Rendón Martínez capture his third gold medal of the day. His winning average of 3.50, paired with a blisteringly fast 2.56 single, proved insurmountable for the rest of the field. Juan David Martinez Riveros secured another silver medal with a 5.73 average, while Cristhian Gaitán Guzmán earned his third podium finish of the day by placing third with a 7.68 mark. Across all three events, the podium battles highlighted the tight-knit rivalry among Colombia's top performers at this WCA competition.

The sole event to escape Rendón Martínez's sweep was the Pyraminx, which featured 24 competitors navigating three rounds of triangular puzzle solving. Dennis Rosero produced a standout performance to secure the championship, registering a winning average of 6.05 and the event's best single of 4.90. Eduard Esteban García Domínguez claimed the second step on the podium with an average of 7.42, while Rendón Martínez collected bronze with a mark of 7.71. With all 12 podium spots across the four disciplines claimed by Colombian solvers, the home nation locked down every medal on offer.

Away from the top steps of the podium, the heartbeat of this cubing competition was found in the remarkable progress logged across the scorecards. Nicolás David Joaqui showed immense growth across three events, lowering his 2x2x2 Cube personal best to 10.02, which was 64.3 percent faster than his previous mark of 28.04, while also dropping his Pyraminx best to 8.52 from 13.38, a 36.3 percent improvement, and chipping his 3x3x3 Cube best down to 48.40. Andres Tovar entered four events and finished fourth in Pyraminx, carving his Skewb personal best down to 7.98 from 21.21, a 62.4 percent drop, while taking his Pyraminx best to 4.81, which was 35 percent faster than his prior 7.40, alongside a 19.97 in the 3x3x3 Cube.

That surge of dramatic improvement continued through several debut attempts and rapid time drops. John Mike Gutierrez Carvajal tackled four events, finishing 10th in 2x2x2 Cube with a new personal best of 3.13 that was 58.9 percent faster than his previous 7.62, while taking on his first ever attempt at Pyraminx with an 8.67 single and shaving his 3x3x3 Cube time to 15.85. Jeremy Audor Builes placed 11th in Pyraminx and cut his 2x2x2 Cube best by 42.2 percent to 6.06 from 10.49, while trimming his Pyraminx best to 9.10 from 12.94 and his 3x3x3 Cube time to 19.92. Miguel Angel Ramirez Palomino logged his first ever attempt at Skewb with a 9.25, finished 11th in 2x2x2 Cube with a 6.11 personal best, and lowered his Pyraminx single to 14.25, a 38.9 percent upgrade.

Rounding out the standout efforts, Kevin Antonio Perez secured a fourth-place finish in the 3x3x3 Cube, made his first ever attempt at Skewb with a 7.81, and improved his Pyraminx best to 7.24, which was 32.4 percent faster than his previous 10.71. Juan Diego Cano Medina completed three events, logging a first ever attempt at 2x2x2 Cube of 6.55, while cutting his Pyraminx personal best by 21.4 percent to 8.57 and his 3x3x3 Cube time to 27.93. Santiago Fernando Perdomo took on three events, recording a first ever attempt at 2x2x2 Cube of 14.94, a first ever attempt at Pyraminx of 16.95, and a 12 percent drop in the 3x3x3 Cube to 44.86.

The full slate of 12 rounds at San Juan Neiva 2023 offered a complete showcase of speed cubing versatility, ranging from tactical Pyraminx rotations to rapid-fire 2x2x2 Cube scrambles. Competitors pushed through rigorous qualification stages to reach the finals, creating an atmosphere focused on personal mastery and continuous refinement. As the tables cleared at Centro Comercial San Juan Plaza, the collective ledger of personal milestones confirmed the growing technical depth across the region.

With three gold medals for Rendón Martínez, a Pyraminx triumph for Rosero, and dozens of personal records written into the books, San Juan Neiva 2023 concluded as a resounding success for the Colombian cubing community. The tournament demonstrated that while championship hardware rewards the fastest hands on the day, the true measure of any competition lies in the steady, undeniable progress of every solver striving to beat the clock.

Tres títulos de cuatro posibles consagraron a David Rendón Martínez como la gran figura de la jornada, marcando el ritmo de la nueva temporada competitiva con un promedio ganador de 10.65 segundos en la final de cubo 3x3x3. El arranque del calendario de speedcubing en Colombia tuvo su epicentro en Neiva, Huila, Colombia, donde el Centro Comercial San Juan Plaza albergó una intensa jornada de competición el 28 de enero de 2023. El certamen reunió a 36 competidores a lo largo de 12 rondas oficiales, estableciendo las primeras marcas de referencia para el año.

El paso de David Rendón Martínez por San Juan Neiva 2023 fue prácticamente impecable en todas las disciplinas que disputó. En la categoría reina del cubo de Rubik superó a Juan David Martinez Riveros, segundo con 14.33 segundos de promedio, y a Cristhian Gaitán Guzmán, tercero con 14.91. Rendón Martínez también firmó el tiempo individual más rápido de la prueba al cronometrar un registro de 8.40 segundos en una final que agrupó a 34 aspirantes a través de tres rondas de eliminación directa.

La superioridad de Rendón Martínez se extendió con contundencia a las pruebas de velocidad de giros reducidos. En el cubo 2x2x2 se colgó la medalla de oro con una media de 3.94 segundos y un mejor intento de 3.13, escoltado en el podio por Alejandro Barreto López con 4.56 y Cristhian Gaitán Guzmán con 4.83. En Skewb repitió en lo más alto tras registrar 3.50 segundos de promedio y un mejor tiempo de 2.56, superando nuevamente a Juan David Martinez Riveros, quien finalizó con 5.73, y a Cristhian Gaitán Guzmán, tercero con 7.68.

El único triunfo que escapó al dominio absoluto de Rendón Martínez en San Juan Neiva 2023 fue la final de Pyraminx, donde Dennis Rosero se adjudicó la victoria con una sólida media de 6.05 segundos y un registro individual de 4.90. La segunda posición fue para Eduard Esteban García Domínguez con un promedio de 7.42 segundos, mientras que Rendón Martínez completó su cosecha personal ocupando el tercer lugar del podio con 7.71 segundos, certificando su presencia entre los tres mejores de todas las modalidades del certamen.

Más allá de las definiciones por los trofeos, los tableros de tiempos reflejaron progresos deportivos notables de varios participantes habituales del circuito nacional. Carlos David Riascos Castro firmó un avance excepcional al registrar una marca personal de 3.52 segundos en cubo 2x2x2, siendo un 43.6% más rápido que su registro anterior, además de bajar a 14.02 en 3x3x3 para ser un 26.7% más veloz y culminar 11.º. Por su parte, Heder Andrés Ávila González, con 95 torneos a cuestas, recortó un 40.2% su récord personal en Skewb hasta dejarlo en 12.19 segundos. En cuatro pruebas distintas, Jhonatan Andrés Culma Avilés mejoró un 37.6% en Pyraminx con 6.74 segundos, un 18.2% en 2x2x2 con 4.45 y dejó su registro de 3x3x3 en 14.20, alcanzando el 12.º puesto en el tetraedro. Ronald Penagos disputó tres eventos, debutando en Skewb con 21.76 segundos y rebajando sus marcas en 3x3x3 con 23.39 y en 2x2x2 con 6.38 segundos.

El escenario de Neiva sirvió igualmente de plataforma de bienvenida para una nueva generación que debutó en una WCA competition. Matías Jiménez Rodríguez afrontó tres pruebas y selló sus primeros registros con 33.20 segundos en 3x3x3, 16.50 en 2x2x2 y 16.58 en Pyraminx. Samuel Esteban Plazas Gonzalez tomó parte en dos modalidades registrando 5.58 segundos en 2x2x2 y 27.75 en 3x3x3. Por su parte, Juan Manuel Núñez Sánchez debutó con 17.38 en 2x2x2 y 59.22 en 3x3x3, mientras que Carolina Mogollón Hernández completó su primera participación oficial deteniendo el reloj en 1:35.60 en el cubo tradicional.

El balance general del evento reafirmó el buen momento de los representantes locales, copando Colombia los doce puestos de honor disponibles en el medallero total. La consistencia en las doce rondas disputadas demostró el nivel técnico alcanzado en la región en este inicio de año, dejando altas expectativas sobre el rendimiento que estos mismos atletas podrán exhibir en los próximos compromisos del circuito.

Concluida la actividad en Neiva, el desarrollo de San Juan Neiva 2023 marca una pauta clara para la temporada que comienza. El rendimiento de las figuras consagradas y el empuje de quienes dieron sus primeros giros oficiales dejan un balance positivo en la comunidad del cubo de Rubik, que proyecta un curso competitivo de constante evolución y marcas cada vez más exigentes.