TANGERANG SELATAN, PERGATSI – More than 200 athletes from six Indonesian provinces took part in the three-day Tangsel Open Gateball Tournament 2026, held at the Kampuse Kademangan Venue in South Tangerang from July 24–26, 2026. The championship marked an important milestone in the revival of Gateball in the region while serving as an official test event for the venue that will host the 2026 Banten Provincial Sports Week (Porprov Banten).
The tournament brought together athletes from Banten, Jakarta, West Java, Central Java, East Java, and Lampung, creating a highly competitive atmosphere while strengthening friendship and collaboration among Gateball communities across Indonesia.
Chairman of the Organizing Committee, Puja Samedhi, stated that the championship was organized as part of a broader effort to revitalize Gateball in South Tangerang. Beyond providing a high-quality competition, the event was designed to achieve several strategic objectives that will contribute to the long-term development of the sport.
"Through the Tangsel Open Tournament 2026, we aim to revive Gateball activities in South Tangerang. This championship is not only a competition but also an opportunity to assess the readiness of the venue for the 2026 Banten Provincial Games, evaluate the performance of South Tangerang's Gateball athletes, and provide valuable experience for organizers in managing a large-scale tournament involving participants from various provinces," Puja Samedhi said during an exclusive interview with PERGATSI in South Tangerang on Sunday (July 26, 2026).
According to him, hosting the championship has provided valuable experience for the organizing committee and all stakeholders in preparing for larger sporting events in the future. With more than 200 participants, every aspect of the tournament—from match operations to athlete services—served as an important evaluation toward the successful organization of the 2026 Banten Provincial Games.
Throughout the three-day competition, athletes competed fiercely while maintaining the spirit of sportsmanship. The tournament featured four competition categories: Men's Singles, Women's Singles, Open Triples, and Mixed Team.
In the Men's Singles, Erhan from Cimancis Cirebon claimed the championship title after delivering consistently outstanding performances throughout the tournament. Candra from Cilacap finished as runner-up, while Nyoman and David Uyung, both representing Lampung, shared third place.
In the Women's Singles, Latifah of Lampung emerged as champion. Karisa from Temanggung secured second place, while Sri Hayati of RG DKI Jakarta and Fisika from Cimancis Cirebon shared third place.
The Open Triples event also featured intense competition. Sonata Elka captured the championship title, followed by RGB-B as runner-up. DSX West Bandung and Pelindo East Java shared third place.
Meanwhile, in the Mixed Team category, Batu Mas Bandung won the championship after defeating Cimancis Cirebon in the final. DSX West Bandung and Pelindo East Java finished as joint third-place winners.
Puja expressed hope that the successful organization of the Tangsel Open Tournament 2026 would become the foundation for an even larger championship in the coming years while further expanding Gateball development throughout Indonesia.
"We hope that next year's Tangsel Open Tournament will be held on an even larger scale and become a driving force for the growth of Gateball, particularly in South Tangerang and the Province of Banten. We are confident that more competitions will produce high-quality athletes capable of achieving success at both the national and international levels," he concluded.
The success of the Tangsel Open Gateball Tournament 2026 not only demonstrated South Tangerang's readiness to host major sporting events but also reflected the growing enthusiasm for Gateball among the public. Through strong collaboration among organizers, athletes, officials, and all stakeholders, the championship is expected to become an important milestone in strengthening a sustainable Gateball development ecosystem in Indonesia. (PAH/ROY)
