Warwickshire Schools Individual Table Tennis Championship results

Warwickshire Schools Individual Table Tennis Championships 2022

The Warwickshire Schools Table Tennis Championships took place earlier this month at Meon Vale Leisure Centre in Stratford. There were 57 competitors taking part across six events.

Under 11 Girls: There were only two entries in the under 11 girls. Charlotte Wong (Widney Junior School) and Hazel Lam (Knowle C of E Primary Academy), both of whom are eligible for the under 11 event next season too. It was great to umpire the girls match, which Charlotte won 3-0, despite some competitive rallies. I look forward to seeing both girls progress in their table tennis journey in the future.

Under 16 Girls: There were five players in the under 16 girls’ event, who played a round robin throughout the day. Daya Chima (Rugby High School for Girls) secured the top spot with four wins, including a five-set thriller against Susanna Swan (Myton School) 11-8, 12-10, 8-11, 3-11, 11-7. Nethra Kulandaivel (also Rugby High School for Girls) finished in 3rd place with two wins.

Under 13 Girls & Under 19 Girls: In the under 13 girls’ event, Mia Chan (King’s High School, Warwick) was the only competitor. This was a similar situation for Nina Yuan (KES Stratford). Therefore, both girls directly qualified for the National Finals.

Under 11 Boys: Aarif Li (Oak Cottage Primary School, Solihull) won group 1, with Eshan Dheshi-Dabb (Warwick Junior School) finishing in the runner up position. Rex Ho (St Alphege Junior School) won group 2, with Shivam Gupta (Warwick Junior School) securing the second group place going through to the knockout stages. In the semi-finals, Aarif beat Shivam 3-0, whilst Rex beat Eshan by the same score line. The final was the closest of the day, with Aarif Li winning 11-7, 5-11, 14-12, 9-11, 11-5. The match was watched by many other players and spectators, with both players demonstrating their consistent attacking styles.

Toby Roe won the under 11 boys consolation, ahead of Noah Earner and Tudor Draghici.

Under 13 Boys: There were 17 entries in the Under 13 Boys event. Rex Wong (Warwick School) lived up to his top seeding, winning his group comfortably, with Finn Bradley (Kenilworth School) finishing in second place, just ahead of Mohammed Shahid Salam (KES Stratford). Ng Hong Kit Harold (Lyndon School) finished top of group 2, with Yannic Fowler (Warwick School) securing second place, ahead of Julian Barys (St Benedict Catholic High School, Alcester) in third place. Ng Hong Wing Bertie (Lyndon School) secured top spot in group with a close win against Ollie Endersby (Kenilworth School) who finished in second place, ahead of Leo Guo (KES Stratford).

In the quarter finals, Ollie Endersby beat Yannic Fowler 3-0 (11-5, 11-6, 11-6), whilst Ng Hong Wing (Bertie) beat Finn Bradley 11-8, 11-9, 11-2. Rex Wong beat Ollie 3-0 (11-4, 11-4, 11-6) in the semi-finals to progress to the final. The other semi-final was a battle of two brothers, with Bertie coming back from 0-2 down to win 9-11, 9-11, 11-7, 12-10, 12-10). The title was won by Rex who won 3-0 (11-3, 11-2, 11-5), demonstrating his controlled and consistent attacking play with both his forehand and backhand strokes.

Under 16 Boys: This event attracted the largest entry with 22 competitors. The initial round-robin matches were played as best of three sets, with the knockout stages becoming best of 5 sets.

Christopher Ho (KES Stratford), who also plays for Free Church TT Club won group 1 with the loss of just 1 set. Jack Mobberley (Tudor Grange Academy) and a member of Colebridge TT Club finished in second place ahead of Abdur-Rahman Surty, also of Colebridge, having won 11-7, 5-11, 11-8.

Group 2 saw Wajid Wafiq (Park Hall Academy) finish in the top position, with Oliver Ferguson (Lawrence Sherriff School, Rugby) in second place. Places 3-5 were determined by count back with three players, Flyn Williamson (3rd) and Nikolay Nikolov (4th) and Daniel Hadley (5th) all winning two matches.

Group 3 was won by Sheung Yin Sean Lee (Langley School) and a Colebridge TT Club member, with Daniel Stone (North Leamington School) and a Free Church representative finishing in second place. The match between Sean and Daniel was close, with Sean winning 11-6, 6-11, 11-9. Archie Mathers (KES Stratford) finished in 3rd place, having beaten Ben Hocombe (Arden School, Solihull) 10-12, 11-8, 11-6.

Group 4 had another Colebridge battle for first and second place, with Alex Setchell (Alcester Grammar School) beating Angus Li (Tudor Grange Academy) 11-8, 5-11, 11-5. Places 3-5 were once again decided by countback with Seth Warner (3rd), Michael Khovanov (4th) and Ben Nicholson (5th) all winning one match.

In the quarter finals, Christopher Ho beat fellow Free Church member Daniel Stone 3-1 (11-4, 10-12, 11-7, 11-4); to set up a semi -final contest with Alex Setchell, who had beaten Oliver Ferguson 11-7, 11-9, 12-10. Sheung Yin Sean Lee beat Angus Li in a close 5 set battle 12-10, 11-9, 5-11, 6-11, 11-4, who then played Wajid Wafiq who had beaten Jack Mobberley 3-0.

In the semi-finals, Christopher beat Alex 11-7, 11-7, 11-6, whilst Wajid beat Sean 11-8, 11-6, 9-11, 11-7. Both semi-finals were excellent encounters, with players demonstrating their attacking and counter attacking strokes.

Christopher secured the under 16 title, coming back from losing the first set to win 11-13, 11-7, 11-8, 11-9. This was a great final, enjoyed by many spectators.

Under 19 Boys: The four competitors in the Under 19 boys event, played a round robin event. Deva Bakthisaran (KES Stratford) won all matches for the loss of just 1 set, with Adam Shapiro (also KES Stratford) in second place. The four players continued to practice after their competition was completed.

All winners in each event have been invited to represent Warwickshire Schools in the Butterfly Schools Individual Table Tennis Championships – National Finals on Saturday 2nd April at Aldersley Leisure Village in Wolverhampton. More than 350 players representing 50 counties will gather for the National Finals, which is the biggest one-day table tennis competition in the country.

Tournament Organiser Kate Hughes would like to say a big thank you to all those who volunteered to help support the event on Sunday 6th February:

Michael and Nicola Rinnhofer, Ian Scott, Debbie and Pete Barrow, Caroline Williams, Sam Setchell, Leigh Ganderton, Kevin Taylor (who also secured the excellent venue at Meon Vale Leisure Centre), and to members of Stratford TTC who assisted with the setting up of the equipment.

Finally… thank you to the support of parents, coaches, school teachers who encouraged so many children to participate and enjoy the table tennis competition! Kate looks forward to seeing you all next year.