The Governor of the Riau Islands, Ansar Ahmad, officially opened the provincial-level 10th Regional Student Sports Week (POPDA X) held at the Coastal Area, Tanjung Balai Karimun, on Thursday (2/7/2026). This provincial-scale student sports event is scheduled to run for a week, until July 8, 2026.
Carrying the theme "Advance to Achieve, Unite in Harmony," this event serves as a platform to showcase the talent of young athletes from seven regencies and cities across the Riau Islands. A total of 10 sports are being contested, including basketball, swimming, athletics, pencak silat, sepak takraw, table tennis, badminton, lawn tennis, football, and volleyball.
Data from the organizing committee recorded the participation of hundreds of athletes, coaches, and officials. Tanjungpinang City dominated the delegation size with 248 people, followed by Batam City (246), Bintan Regency (227), Karimun Regency (188), Lingga Regency (89), Anambas Islands Regency (87), and Natuna Regency (70).
In his speech, Governor Ansar emphasized the importance of this event as a long-term investment for the sports world in the Riau Islands. He hoped that the competition process would run professionally and transparently to produce top talents capable of competing at national and international levels.
In addition to sports development, the event is also projected to have a multiplier economic effect on Karimun Regency. The tourism, hospitality, culinary, and local MSME sectors are expected to experience growth during the course of this year's POPDA X games.
