MEDAN, PERGATSI – The 2026 North Sumatra Governor’s Cup Open Gateball Tournament was successfully held from June 19 to 21, 2026, in Medan. The event reflected the commitment of the North Sumatra Gateball Association (PERGATSI) to nurturing local sporting talent and advancing the development of gateball across the province.
The tournament attracted 104 athletes from various regions of North Sumatra and served as both a development program and a competitive platform for novice and experienced players to sharpen their skills in preparation for higher-level competitions.
Chairman of the Organizing Committee for the 2026 North Sumatra Governor’s Cup Open Gateball Tournament, Khairul Azan Tanjung, explained that the event was originally planned as a tournament to commemorate the inauguration of the North Sumatra PERGATSI Executive Board. However, following the attendance and keynote remarks of the Governor of North Sumatra, the committee officially renamed it the 2026 North Sumatra Governor’s Cup Open Gateball Tournament.
“Initially, this tournament was organized as part of the inauguration of the North Sumatra PERGATSI Executive Board. Since the Governor attended the event and delivered a keynote speech, we decided to officially name it the 2026 North Sumatra Governor’s Cup Open Gateball Tournament,” Khairul Azan Tanjung said in an interview with PERGATSI in Medan on Saturday (June 27, 2026).
Khairul said the tournament featured three competition categories: Novice Doubles, contested by 22 teams; Advanced Triples, with 19 teams; and the Open Team Event, involving 21 teams, each consisting of two novice players and three experienced players. A total prize pool of Rp15 million was awarded in the form of coaching grants, trophies, and certificates.
According to him, the different competition categories were designed as part of a structured athlete development strategy, allowing novice players to gain valuable match experience alongside more seasoned competitors.
“We introduced three competition categories to create a progressive athlete development system. In the Open Team category, novice athletes have the opportunity to compete alongside experienced players, enabling them to gain valuable firsthand competitive experience,” he said.
Based on the tournament results, GGC, a combined team representing Asahan and Sari Mutiara University, won the Open Team category. Unimed A finished as runner-up, while Deli Serdang and Asahan secured third and fourth place, respectively.
In the Advanced Triples category, GGC once again emerged as champion, followed by Unimed A, Unimed B, and Asahan.
Meanwhile, the Novice Doubles title was won by Deli Serdang, followed by Asahan, Stok Binaguna, and Sari Mutiara University.
Khairul added that the tournament brought together 104 athletes, including 44 novice players—most of them students—and 60 experienced athletes, several of whom were former National Sports Week (PON) competitors.
Novice athletes were defined as players with no more than two years of training experience, while the advanced category was reserved for athletes with extensive competitive backgrounds.
“A total of 104 athletes participated in this tournament. Forty-four competed in the novice category, while the remaining 60 were experienced athletes. We hope this tournament will become a sustainable platform for athlete development while strengthening the regeneration of gateball players in North Sumatra,” Khairul said.
He added that the strong level of participation reflects the growing popularity of gateball in North Sumatra. The presence of athletes from various regions, along with the increasing number of young participants, is expected to provide a solid foundation for North Sumatra PERGATSI in preparing future athletes to compete successfully at the national level. (PAH/ROY)
