Yunzhi Lian averaged 4.27 to win Guangzhou GraDUAL 3x3 IV 2026, placing her fourth in the world. It was her first WCA competition win and her second female world record in three days.
Her solves were 4.20, 4.39, (4.54), (4.02), 4.22. Only 0.52 seconds separated her fastest and slowest solves.
Before Wuhan, Lian’s best average was 4.89, second among women behind Qixian Cao’s 4.68. Her 4.52 in Wuhan was already a big improvement. Three days later, she took another quarter of a second off that record.
She now leads Cao by 0.41, with Yaqian Xu third in the women’s rankings at 5.04.
Her first record came on September 13 at Wuhan Crimson Autumn 2026. It earned her third place.
Xuanyi Geng won that final with 3.90, ahead of Yiheng Wang at 3.94 and Lian at 4.52. Their averages added up to 12.36 seconds, the lowest combined total for a 3x3 podium in WCA history. The previous best was 12.61 at Weihai Open 2026.
Geng’s 3.90, Wang’s 3.94 and Lian’s 4.52 added up to 12.36 seconds, the lowest combined total for a 3x3 podium in WCA history.
Even a female world record was only enough for third in Wuhan, where both Geng and Wang averaged under four seconds.
She now sits just 0.03 behind Yi Shen, who also made a major jump in Wuhan, reaching world No. 3 with 4.24.
Wang leads the world rankings at 3.51, followed by Geng at 3.67. Both are more than half a second ahead of Shen in third.
China holds the top seven places and eight of the top ten. Poland’s Teodor Zajder, eighth at 4.41, and Tymon Kolasiński, tenth at 4.49, are the only solvers from outside China in that group.
Her 3x3 average is now faster than her 4.51 personal best in 2x2, though she has not competed in 2x2 since 2025.