Hot-shot table tennis players from Hackney’s Sir Thomas Abney School served up top honours at the East London final of the Jack Petchey Table Tennis England Schools’ team competition last week.

The event, held at Raines School in Tower Hamlets, brought together teams from schools in Barking & Dagenham, Bexley, City of London, Greenwich, Hackney, Havering, Lewisham, Newham, Redbridge and Tower Hamlets.

And the under-11 boys trophy went to Sir Thomas Abney’s Kyreece Cornwall and Kahan Has, who are both 10 years old, and nine-year-old George Jackson after a close final with a team from City of London School.

The trio have been playing for two years and got into the sport through family members.

George’s dad and nan both play and he said: “I like winning and it’s great being in a team. Some of the games were hard and this is the first time we played together. We can’t wait for the final.”

The Jack Petchey Schools’ Table Tennis Championships is a prestigious event which includes team and individual competitions aimed at increasing participation and awareness of the sport in schools in London and Essex.

Winners of the regional competitions progress to the Jack Petchey London Schools’ Team finals on Saturday 13th January 2018 at the University of East London’s SportsDock.

The project also includes the donation of indoor and outdoor table tennis tables which is also helping to increase interest in the sport.

Sara Sutcliffe, chief executive of Table Tennis England, said: “Thousands of young people are playing table tennis in London and Essex thanks to the Jack Petchey Foundation’s support.

“The table donation scheme and the team and individual competitions have taken the profile of the sport and the standard of play to new heights. They’ve created a lasting legacy and we look forward to thousands more youngsters benefitting from the programme in years to come.”

The 92-year-old Sir Jack Petchey CBE is passionate about giving young people freedom and opportunity and said: “Table tennis is a great sport and I’m delighted more young people are playing as a result of our partnership with TTE.”

See londonschoolstabletennis.co.uk for further information about the scheme.