Grade 10 Speed-Cuber Sean Villanueva wins PH its first-ever Rubik’s world title

Representing the Philippines, Ateneo de Manila Junior High School student Sean Villanueva (10-Sitjar) secured our country’s first-ever world championship title by winning the 3x3x3 One-Handed event of the Rubik’s World Cube Association (WCA) World Championships held in Incheon, South Korea on August 15, 2023.

Sean’s victory marks the Philippines’ inaugural Rubik’s world title, following second-place finishes by Durben Virtucio (4x4x4 Cube) in 2009 and Sean Villanueva himself (3x3x3 Cube) in 2019.

As reported by Tiebreaker Times, “The 15-year-old prodigy outshone 482 participants in the event, achieving an astonishing 9.42 seconds average in the finals.”

Sean is also a key member of the Filipino trio that earned a second-place finish in the Nations Cup event of the World Championship on August 14. Sean, Leo Borromeo, and Toby Litiatco made history on Monday when they delivered the Philippines’ first podium finish in the 2023 championships, claiming 1^st runner-up in the Nations Cup.

The Rubik’s WCA World Championships were held from August 12 to 15, 2023, in Incheon, South Korea. The event attracted competitors from all over the world and featured 17 puzzle-solving events including the 3x3x3 Blindfolded, 4x4x4 Cube, 5x5x5 Cube, and more.