Sam Walker’s brilliant performance for Team GB at the Olympics has seen him named the SportsAid Athlete of the Month.

The Worksop star received his first SportsAid award 12 years old and the charity has backed him ever since.

The 21-year-old was part of the table tennis team representing Great Britain in Rio, where his 3-2 victory over world No 18 Simon Gauzy – saving three match points in the decider – clinched a dramatic 3-2 win over France in the first round of the team competition.

He also performed creditably in GB’s defeat by eventual champions China, who have not lost a team match for 16 years, in the quarter-finals.

Meanwhile, staff at one of Walker’s sponsors, the Nottingham Building Society, are taking part in a cycling challenge to raise money for SportsAid. The static bike event at the Retford branch aims to raise £200.