THE Owan Touch Association is satisfied with their performance at the 2026 National Touch Championship with three titles secured in Port Moresby.

The association is among Kainantu Corporate and Gateway Touch to send several teams to compete in the nation’s capital representing Eastern Highlands, all backed by the Kainantu (K92) Mining Limited among various sponsors.

Owan’s standout performance was securing the Junior Under-20 Womens, the Open Women’s and the Senior Women’s national titles marking three out of eight wins.

Team Manager Israel Bunawa said the main purpose of bringing teams to compete in the city was to expose the talents they had back home in the Obura-Wonenara district.

“The last four days of tournament has been really tough knowing that the other associations brought their best teams to compete but we knew we had to give our best.”

 “We are grateful to be here at the National Championships, coming from a rural area in Eastern highlands has its own challenges but we wanted to bring the best talents we had to compete and the results paid off.”

Meanwhile Gateway Touch Association president Gabriel Molken said this was their second appearance at the national tournament with their first appearance made last year in Morobe.

Gateway Touch brought in open division and senior teams to compete with their Senior Mens claiming the national title at the Bisini football grounds yesterday.

“Our association was established last year before the last national championship. This our second appearance at this event. This year we brought our Junior U20 girls, Open and Senior Divisions to compete,” Molken added.

This year Eastern Highlands was represented by three association while Ijivitari Touch Association represented Northern Province without the presence of Popondetta and Sohe at the championships. Ijivitari’s U20 junior boys finished as runner’s up.

Other provinces included the New Vlas Touch of East New Britain, Lae Corporate Touch representing Morobe province and Australian based Queensland’s PNG Paias who competed in the championship for the last 4 day in the nation’s capital.