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First Speed- Cubing Competition Held in Ghana

Ghana’s first ever speed-cubing competition has been held to help improve logical reasoning of people especially the young ones. The competition was organized by Edu Learn Ghana in partnership with the World Cube Association (WCA).

The speed-cubing competition, which was organized under the auspices of the Hungarian Embassy in Ghana, brought together 65 top fastest Ghanaian speed cubers who went away with various prizes.

Speed cubing, is a sport, which involves solving a variety of twisty puzzles, the most famous being the 3×3×3 puzzle or Rubik’s cube as quickly as possible.

Mr Andras Sabzo, the Hungarian Ambassador to Ghana said the Rubik’s cube was a 3-D combination puzzle invented in 1974 by Hungarian sculptor and Professor of architecture, Erno Rubik.

He said it was popular in Hungary until it become well known worldwide for its simplicity and fun aspects as well as its ability impart positively on the minds of users.

Speaking at the maiden edition of the sporting cum educational event, Mrs Puja Gokaldas, the Chief Executive Officer of Edu Learn Ghana, said playing Rubik’s cube was just like playing chess, which came with so much fun.

She said when children solve the puzzles, it improves their concentration level, which could help them in their studies adding that: “Once their concentration level is improved, they can apply that in their normal educational studies”.

Mrs Gokaldas, who is a certified trainer of Speed cubing in Ghana said: “Speed cubing improves reflexes, increase ability to identify patterns, improve hand-eye coordination, breaking down complex tasks and increases finger dexterity and agility.”

She said the sporting activity was not only limited to children but anyone beyond seven years with the intention of mastering the art of speed cubing to tap the numerous benefits it offers.

She said the event, which saw 65 participants from 13 different nationalities and 10 schools in Accra, demonstrated how multicultural Ghanaians were.  

She urged Ghanaians to embrace speed cubing for its benefits saying that, one stands the chance of becoming Speed cuber through constant practicing with focus and determination.

Conducted by Mr Philippe Virouleau, the Senior Delegate of the WCA, competitors were required to perform a series of moves that altered a scrambled puzzle into a state in which every face of the puzzle was a single solid colour.

Mr Virouleau, who had been cubing for more than 11 years, said the Ghana project started some 8 months ago through Edu Learn, which was massively received a high number of competitors as the organisers anticipated only 30 competitors.

He said Ghana had become one of the few African counties to hold the speed cubing competitions with other countries being Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Kenya, South Africa, and Mauritius.

He said the WCA as the Rubik’s cube international governing body, would be organising similar competitions in Niger and Egypt adding that, the body would consider having an African championship in the near future.

Mr Virouleau said Ghana’s competition was one of the best competitions held so far across the globe as it gave more room and space for a huge number of people to participate.

As of February, 2019, 118,000 people around the world, had participated in the competition.

At the end of the contest, Master Krishang Agarwal, a pupil of the Roman Ridge School emerged the winner after winning three categories of the Skewb, 2×2×2 Cube, and 3×3×3 Cube. He went away with trophies and printers for the various categories.

Credit: Ghana News Agency

April 8, 2019

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