TONBRIDGE SCHOOLBOYS DOMINATE KENT SCHOOLS CHAMPS
Pupils from Tonbridge schools dominated the boys’ events at the Kent Schools Championships held at the Howard School, Rainham last week with all of the male winners attending the SE High Performance Centre, at the High Weald Academy, Cranbrook.
The National Junior Boys’ Champion, Helshan Weerasinghe, 16 from Tonbridge, unsurprisingly won the under 19 boys’ singles. The Judd School pupil defeated Nicholas Ng Cheuk Bun of Tonbridge School 3-0 (11-4, 11-3, 11-4) in the final.
In the semi-finals, Helshan had beaten Chow Cheuk Wang (Tonbridge School) while Nicholas had overcome Kevin Ho, also of Tonbridge School. Chow Cheuk Wang beat Kevin Ho 3-0 (11-9, 11-5, 11-8) to come third overall.
Meanwhile, Helshan’s younger brother Chamika Weerasinghe, of Yardley Court Preparatory School, Somerhill, Tonbridge, lifted the mixed under 11 singles, beating Scarlett O’Neill (Fairview Primary, Gillingham) 3-0 (11-6, 11-7, 11-7) in the final. He had knocked out Julio Key of Amherst School, Sevenoaks in the semi-finals.
The Judd School took another title when Hammad Ansari triumphed 3-0 (11-5, 11-9, 11-6) over Benoit Robert (Kings School, Canterbury) in the under 13 boys’ singles.
Hammad had beaten Timothy Walters of Tunbridge Wells Grammar School in the semi-finals, while Benoit had bettered Matthew Hooper (also Tunbridge Wells Grammar). Timothy scrapped through over Matthew 3-2 (11-7, 9-11, 8-11, 12-10, 11-8) in the battle for third place.
Another young star, Oakwood Park Grammar, Maidstone pupil Luke Savill, was the victor of the under 15 boys’ singles with a comfortable straight games win over Ben Foster (Howard School).
Benenden’s Daniella Gray, Head Girl of the High Weald Academy, Cranbrook and a member of the Weald TT Club based there, came runner-up to the England no.3 junior girl, Emma Torkington (Kings School, Canterbury) in the under 19 girls’ singles.
Daniella had a tough five games success over her old rival, Evie Foster (Rainham Girls) in the same event.
Ken Muhr (February 4, 2014)