A six-year-old girl from Chengdu has captured a world record in speedcubing, a feat her mother describes as a dream come true. Lian Yunzhi, known to her family as Zhizhi, set a new women’s 3×3 average world record of 4.27 seconds at a World Cube Association event held in Guangzhou on 16 September. This achievement surpassed the previous 4.52-second record she had established only earlier that same month. In some individual attempts, she has even managed to solve the puzzle in under four seconds.
Zhizhi’s journey into the world of competitive cubing began at age four, when her mother, Lin Yangxi, enrolled her in speedcubing classes as one of several extracurricular activities, which also include painting, dancing, and gymnastics. Recognizing the potential for her daughter's development, her parents decided to prioritize the hobby, believing it enhances concentration, spatial awareness, memory, and logical thinking.
The path to success was not without its challenges. After several months of initial training, Zhizhi reached a plateau where her average time remained stuck at eight seconds. Lin admitted that both the parents and the child felt discouraged, even considering giving up at one point. However, after they sought out a specialist teacher in Shanghai and she mastered over 1,300 Rubik’s cube formulas, her progress accelerated significantly.
Currently, Zhizhi balances her kindergarten education with a rigorous practice schedule, dedicating two to three hours on weekdays and up to six hours on weekends to the puzzle. Her mother notes that most weekends are occupied by competitions, which provide a venue for Zhizhi to socialize with friends and take a break from her routine training. While Zhizhi once envied other children who had more free time, she has since told her mother that pursuing her own goals brings her genuine happiness.
The young prodigy has gained significant attention at her school, where older students have even requested her autograph. Her parents, who felt extremely nervous during the recent championship, are proud of how she manages the pressure of competition. While they do not necessarily envision a career in speedcubing for her, they believe the discipline helps build grit and perseverance that will benefit her future. To ensure her well-being, her mother also closely monitors her eyesight for signs of myopia, a common condition among children in China.
