Uzbekistan Nationals 2026

The drama reached its peak right down to the final turn of the puzzle at Uzbekistan Nationals 2026, where every solve carried heavy implications across 17 distinct events. Timofei Tarasenko delivered an exceptional showing throughout the weekend, clinching the premier 3x3x3 Cube title with a scorching 5.59 winning average, backed by a competition-best 4.96 single solve. The intense three rounds of the classic Rubik's Cube tested every finalist, but Tarasenko stayed steady in high-pressure moments to secure first place in a field of 39 competitors.

Hosted at the Almazar Specialized School in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, the tournament ran across three days from June 19 to June 21, 2026. A dedicated gathering of 41 competitors took part in 29 rounds of action, creating a vibrant atmosphere for speedcubing across Central Asia. Beyond the main event, the podiums reflected widespread regional talent, with athletes representing Uzbekistan, Russia, China, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan battling for top honours across big cubes, blindfolded disciplines, and side events.

Tarasenko assembled a remarkable collection of victories over the weekend, capturing titles in nine separate disciplines. Among his top achievements was an outstanding performance in the 7x7x7 Cube, where his 1:43.20 winning average established a new European record alongside a Russian national record single of 1:37.65. His dominance extended across the 2x2x2 Cube with a 1.29 average, the 4x4x4 Cube in 23.08, the 5x5x5 Cube in 37.95, and the 6x6x6 Cube in 1:08.09, as well as Pyraminx, Megaminx, and Clock.

National records tumbled across multiple scorecards in Tashkent. Local standout Umidjon Zafarov made major history for the host country by logging national records for both 3x3x3 Cube single at 5.66 and average at 6.72, while also capturing the Square-1 championship with a 14.78 average. Zafarov added another national mark with a 26.02 average in 4x4x4 Cube. Fellow compatriot Abdurauf Boymuminov took bronze in multiple big cubes, posting Uzbek national records in 5x5x5 Cube single of 44.89, 6x6x6 Cube single of 1:27.85, and 7x7x7 Cube average of 2:30.49.

Beyond the top steps of the podium, several competitors achieved remarkable milestones across the schedule. Azizbek Sultonov unlocked a massive breakthrough in Skewb, setting a new personal best of 5.03 seconds, an improvement of 43 percent over his previous mark of 8.82. Sardorkhon Bakhadirov tackled a sprawling programme of 11 events, taking on his first ever official attempts in Square-1 with 47.49, Megaminx with 2:21.71, and 3x3x3 One-Handed with 33.83. Maxim Li also embraced a heavy workload across 14 events, earning fifth place in 3x3x3 Multi-Blind and logging his first attempts at 6x6x6 Cube and 3x3x3 Fewest Moves while slashing his Skewb personal best by 28.5 percent to 8.32.

Other athletes produced impressive personal benchmarks and memorable firsts on the competition floor. Konstantin Aipkin registered his first ever attempt at Skewb in 42.43 while lowering his Pyraminx personal best by 25.3 percent to 21.33 and his 3x3x3 Cube best by 22.7 percent to 49.52. Olamgir Xusanov tackled 11 disciplines, finishing eighth in Square-1 with a first-time mark of 31.60 and cutting his Clock best by 16.8 percent to 16.68. Hasan Qodirjonov took eighth in Pyraminx and posted his first 5x5x5 Cube time of 2:46.64 alongside an 8.4 percent cut in 4x4x4 Cube. Aleksey Xusnutdinov secured fifth in Skewb while dropping his 3x3x3 Fewest Moves personal best by 24.5 percent to 40 moves, and Mayer Olevskiy made his speed cubing debut at his first WCA competition, contesting seven events and finishing 11th in Clock.

Specialist categories delivered plenty of excitement, especially in blindfolded and one-handed solving. Kyrgyzstan competitor Chyngyz Sultanbekov claimed victory in 3x3x3 One-Handed with a smooth 12.42 average and set national records in 5x5x5 Cube. Jasur Beknazov took the Skewb title with an average of 3.91. In memory-based disciplines, Jiayu Wang showed mastery by winning 3x3x3 Multi-Blind with a perfect 12 of 12 cubes in 50:44, alongside first place in 4x4x4 Blindfolded in 4:57.49 and 3x3x3 Fewest Moves with 32 moves.

Local blindfolded specialist Igor Aipkin provided major highlights for Uzbekistan, winning the 5x5x5 Blindfolded title with a national record single of 12:45.00 and adding a national record average of 6:52.16 in 4x4x4 Blindfolded. Diasbek Zhuraev from Kazakhstan secured the 3x3x3 Blindfolded crown in 47.92 seconds while setting Kazakh national records in 5x5x5 Cube and 6x6x6 Cube. Across the entire cubing competition, host nation competitors secured 23 total podium placements, highlighting the expanding depth of the regional scene.

As the final timers stopped, Uzbekistan Nationals 2026 stood as a testament to exceptional focus and skill. The official 3x3 results and continental milestones set in Tashkent highlighted three days of top-tier competition, giving every solver valuable experience as the community looks forward to the next season of international racing.