TULUNGAGUNG – Tulungagung Popda preparations are entering a crucial stage as local officials intensify efforts ahead of the East Java Student Sports Week. The Tulungagung Youth and Sports Agency, or Dispora, has started finalizing athlete selections for the provincial competition.

The regency aims to stay in the top 10 rankings in East Java. The target follows Tulungagung’s previous achievement, when it finished 10th among 38 cities and regencies in the province.

Head of Tulungagung Dispora, Achmad Mugiyono, said officials are still focusing on athlete scouting and performance mapping. The agency has not yet decided its medal target because the selection process remains ongoing.

“For the student-level Popda, our target remains a top 10 finish. We compete against 38 regencies and cities across East Java,” Mugiyono said.

Dispora continues to recruit promising student athletes from schools across Tulungagung. Officials are carrying out the selection process in stages. They want to ensure every athlete has strong competitive readiness before entering the provincial tournament.

Mugiyono believes Tulungagung still has major potential in sports development. Several local athletes have already achieved success at national and international levels.

Triathlon has become one of Tulungagung’s strongest sports. Two athletes from the regency recently won gold medals for Indonesia in international competitions connected to the SEA Games circuit.

“Two young athletes from Tulungagung earned gold medals in triathlon at the international level. They are still collecting points for Olympic qualification,” he explained.

Young athletes from Tulungagung have also shown strong performances in cycling, football, volleyball, and motorcycle road racing. Those achievements have increased confidence among local sports officials.

Dispora hopes the success of senior athletes can motivate younger competitors preparing for the 2026 East Java Popda. Officials also want the tournament to become a platform for developing future elite athletes.

The athlete recruitment process is still underway. Despite that, Tulungagung remains optimistic about maintaining its competitive reputation at the provincial level.