Brothers Ollie and Henry Maric-Murray kept it in the family with matching gold medals at the Jack Petchey Schools Table Tennis Finals, while Maliha Baig was a winner for the third year running and Yuvathi Kumar for the second year in succession.
More than 100 players competed across boys’ and girls’ events in four age groups at The University of East London’s SportsDock centre, with the champions coming from six different schools – Whitgift the only school to pick up more than one gold medal, winning three.
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Ollie Maric-Murray won his gold in the Under-13 Boys, successfully stepping up from the Under-11 event he won last year. He defeated Joe Hunter of Alexandra Park School 3-0 (11-6, 12-10, 11-7) in the final.
Both boys won their semi-finals against opponents from Wallington Coumnty Grammar in three sets, Maric-Murray overcoming Sai Gandepalli 11-4, 11-5, 11-5 and Hunter defeating Ojasvii Borah 13-11, 14-12, 11-3. Akilesh Reeioo won the consolation gold against Adam Palmer 3-0 (11-5, 11-6, 11-6).
In the Under-13 Girls it was a similar story as Maliha Baig stepped up from the Under-11s she had won in the previous two years. Her final victory was a 3-0 (11-5, 11-3, 11-7) score against Mabel Shute of St Aubyn’s. Shute had a good 3-2 (11-9, 11-6, 5-11, 3-11, 11-9) win over Evelyn Pace (Surbiton High School) in the semi-finals.
The consolation gold went to Sofia-Ellen Paravanov of London Academy, who defeated Maisy Anne Lightowler of Wallington High School for Girls 3-2 (8-11, 11-6, 11-13, 11,4, 11-8).
Henry Maric-Murray was the victor in the Under-16 Boys’ category, in four games against Daniel Oluwamayowa of London Academy. The score was 11-8, 7-11, 11-8, 11-8.
Both boys got through their semi-finals i nthree straight, but had earlier had battles in the quarter-finals, Maric-Murray coming through 3-2 (11-4, 9-11, 9-11, 11-9, 11-5) against Alexander Macdonell and Oluwamayowa 3-2 (10-12, 11-9, 11-9, 2-11, 11-7) against Nahom Goitom.
Alejandro Itoaramendia (Thomas Moore Catholic School) won the consolation 3-0 (5, 3, 6) against Liam Harris of Tendring Technology College.
In the girls’ event, Yuvathi Kumar of Wallington High School for Girls was a 3-0 (11-6, 11-3, 11-2) victor over Yasna Hawbash (Morpeth School) in the final. It was her second title in as many years after taking the Under-13s last year.
In the consolation competition, Jaynath Ahmed of Raine’s Foundation Academy School won the title but needed a big comeback in the final against Nyree March to do so. In the end, Ahmed overcame her opponent from Chelmsford County High School for Girls 3-2 (7-11, 9-11, 11-9, 11-4, 11-5).
The oldest age group, the Under-19s, saw Zion Boumpoutou of Ernest Bevin was triuphant in a final which went the distance. Up against Joe Walker of St Edwards C of E Academy, he won the gold courtesy of a 3-2 (4-11, 11-8, 13-11, 5-11, 11-7) scoreline.
The consolation event was won by Harry Keys of Seevic College, defeating London Academy’s Robert Ionascu 3-0 (11-7, 11-4, 11-4).
The Under-19 Girls’ competition was a round-robin event won by Tiana Dennison of Highams Park School, ahead of defending champion Natalia Ianau of London Academy.
Dennison won the key match between the two 3-0 (11-7, 11-7, 11-7) and won her other three matches to secure the title, dropping only one set along the way, to Federica Bonato. Ianau also won her other three matches, including 3-2 victories over Bonato and Casey Nickle.
The youngest age category was the Under-11s, and that was third of the Whitgift titles as Kai Sun Yiu took the gold medal, defeating George Jackson of Sir Thomas Abney School 3-1 (9-11, 11-6, 11-6, 11-7) in the final.
He needed an even more impressive comeback in the semi-finals as he came from 2-0 down to overcome James Donald 3-2 (5-11, 7-11, 11-6, 11-9, 11-9). The other semi-final followed the same pattern as Jackson defeated Joseph Buscombe 3-2 (5-11, 8-11, 12-10, 11-3, 11-9).
The consolation event was won by Adam Alibhai of Chigwell School, defeating Janak Shah of Pinner Park Junior 3-1 (11-6, 11-5, 5-11, 11-6).
The corresponding girls’ event saw Sarina Salori of Earls Hall Primary took the gold courtesy of a 3-1 (8-11, 11-7, 19-17, 11-7) win over Hayat Osseiran-Pistecky of Fox Primary. Her semi-final win was a tough match against Caron Charles of Croydon High School, Salori winning it 3-2 (9-11, 14-12, 11-9, 9-11, 11-3).
The consolation event was decided in five monumental games, with Evie Knaapen of Earls Hall coming out on top 3-2 (11-6, 4-11, 11-9, 11-13, 16-14) against Isabelle Turner-Samuels of Fox primary.