Byng Hall Table tennis Club take County Championship by Storm
Over the bank holiday weekend, Kent County table tennis Association held the Senior and Junior closed championships at a superb venue used for the first time, at the body & mind sports centre Canterbury high School.
Saturday was the senior day. With 5 of the top men missing from the entry the event was substantially weakened, Tunbridge Wells’ top man Mark Brown (a former County champion) was off on business in America. The title was taken by 13 times former champion Joe Kennedy, who also won the veterans event.
Angie Bristow the clubs top woman took her rightful place on the County podium having only just returned from her university gap year in Australia, Angie who had been in Sheffield for the past 4 years where she was studying for her structural engineering degree has had very little practice, but was still to good for Kim Mudge.
Angie completed the double by winning the women’s doubles, partnered by Hazel Clucas also from the club who is still a junior .
Sunday was the turn of the juniors where the Byng Hall club had 13 players competing in age ranges from 10 to 17.
Chloe Dunmall was the star of the day, still an under 12, she appeared in 3 finals.. Chloe won the under 12’s and was Runner up in the under 17 class 2 event, losing narrowly in the 5th set to the former U17 County champion Michelle Hogben (Ashford). Chloe and her partner Laura Yarnley from Folkestone were also runners up in the under 14 doubles. Chloe also reached the semi finals of the under 14 singles, only losing out to Gemma Yarnley (Folkestone), Kent’s highest ranked National girl, currently the number 4 in England in her age group.
Alec Bartlett lifted the U14 trophy going one better that last year. Alec who travels down from Dartford to train, at what has become the strongest club in the South east.
Joe Risby also travels down from Erith to train in Tunbridge Wells won the U12 boys singles after a terrific battle from 9 – 6 down in the fifth set, finally winning in deuce to tumultuous applause.
Our youngest entrant Jasmin Ould only seven walked away, or should I say skipped away with her first of many, we hope! medals, when she was runner up in the U10’s despite only just being able to see over the table.
Finally, William Harrington made a valiant attempt at toppling the number one’s seeded position, narrowly losing to John Harley (Medway) currently ranked 25 in England, Will is only ranked 69th. Will went down 2 – 0 but fought back, to make it 2 all. Wills' efforts were finally thwarted when John upped the antae taking the 5th 11-8.
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