A Phenomenon of Pure Speed
In a display of reflexes that seem almost superhuman, Lian Yunzhi has etched her name into the history of the World Cube Association (WCA).
According to official reports, the young Chinese prodigy managed to set two consecutive women's world records in September 2026. First, in Wuhan on September 12, she achieved an average of 4.52 seconds. Just two days later, on September 14 in Guangzhou, she surpassed herself with a breathtaking mark of 4.27 seconds.
The Path to Perfection
Zhizhi's journey began at age 4, when she received her first cube as a gift from her parents. What started as a simple toy evolved into a rigorous discipline. To achieve these times, she has mastered over 1,300 algorithms—specific sequences of moves used to solve parts of the cube efficiently.
Daily Routine: She maintains a training schedule of 2 to 3 hours per day. To overcome a progress plateau, her family even moved her from Chengdu to Shanghai to work with professional coaches.
Breaking Barriers
This achievement is more than just a number. Zhizhi is the first woman to break the 4.5-second threshold. This milestone highlights the explosive growth of "Speedcubing" (the sport of solving the cube as fast as possible) in Asia and the incredible cognitive processing power children can develop with the right support.
The story has been widely covered by international outlets such as La Stampa and CCTV News, praising the synergy between family support and personal dedication.
What Lies Ahead?
Given her exponential learning curve, it is highly probable that Zhizhi could attempt to break the 4-second barrier in the near future. Furthermore, her visibility would likely inspire a new wave of interest in logic games among young girls in China, and she might become a global ambassador for early cognitive development.