Hot-shot Camden table tennis players from University College School took top honours in the Central London round of the Jack Petchey Schools’ Championships at the Greenhouse Centre in Westminster.

Ham & High: University College School pupils celebrate winning the under-13 competition (pic Stephen Pover)University College School pupils celebrate winning the under-13 competition (pic Stephen Pover) (Image: Stephen Pover)

The event, run in partnership with Table Tennis England, attracted 25 teams from 17 schools from Camden, City of Westminster, Islington, Kensington & Chelsea, Lambeth, Southwark and Wandsworth.

And the under-13 boys’ title was won by the University College School team of 12-year-olds Tommy Lyons and Oskar Garshfield and 13-year-olds Tristan Jenkins and David Ishaelyan.

All have been playing for around six years and started playing at school.

Garshfield first played with his family and Ishaelyan with his granddad and the team enjoy the fast pace of the sport and felt they played well.

In the final they beat Wandsworth’s Ernest Bevin School 3-2 and Garshfield said: “We are extremely pleased with ourselves because we won. It’s a good competition and we can’t wait for the final.”

In the under-16 boys’ event, the University College School were runners-up to Ernest Bevin School, with their team consisting of 15-year-olds Toby Crawcour, Ben Barbarash, Aidan Pick, Max Conway and Jacob Zakaim.

Winners of the regional competitions progress to the Jack Petchey London Schools’ Team Championships Final being held in the Sports Dock at the University of East London on January 12.

The Jack Petchey Table Tennis programme includes competition opportunities at schools via team and individual championships, with progression to grand finals.

Over 5,884 students have played in competitions during the last year and over 40,000 school children have been directly impacted by the scheme since it started.

Sir Jack Petchey CBE, the 93-year-old founder of the Jack Petchey Foundation, is passionate about giving young people freedom and opportunity.

He said: “As a young man I loved playing table tennis. It kept me fit and active and developed my self-discipline and confidence. It’s great to know so many play the sport every week as this programme is so close to my heart.”