KIng's School student Hannah (10) makes table tennis history

​The King's School student became the youngest winner of the Ladies Singles at the Cambridgeshire Closed Table Tennis Championships at the weekend...an event she only entered at the last minute.

Hannah entered the junior event for under 19s and also wanted to take part in the cadet competition for under 15s, but there were not enough entrants for it to take place. She won that title by default.

And a few hours later she was able to celebrate another famous win double, claiming the senior title final after coming from behind against multiple title winner and holder Carrie Cope 3-1 (9-11, 11-9, 11-8, 11-9), and the junior event with a straight sets success against Barbara Hargreaves (11-9, 11-5, 11-3).

Hannah also made a third final in the event at St Neots, the mixed doubles with Archway chairman Julian Tee, but they went down to a 3-0 defeat to Cope and Paul Hillier.

Hannah is one of a crop of talented youngsters who play for the Archway Club in the city.

Tee called Hannah’s success in the senior event, ‘the greatest table tennis achievement from a city player since the formation of the Peterborough League in the 1930s’.

“Hannah was fearless in the final against a very experienced and talented player,” Tee enthused. “I guess you are fearless aged 10!

"I believe this has to be the best table tennis achievement from a city player since the formation of the Peterborough League in the 1930s.

"Although there have been many successes over the decades, a 10 year-old winning the county senior singles will never be surpassed.

"She must be one of the youngest winners of any county event in the country.

"It was a truly remarkable moment, to see the sheer quality, and belief that Hannah showed, especially in the final.”

Hannah was so impressive she will now be representing the Cambs Senior Ladies team in a competition this weekend.

Hannah’s County Championship story knocked a remarkable achievement from clubmate Adam Jepson off the headlines.

Jepson, from Whittlesey, won the men’s singles for the sixth consecutive time, beating club mate Jacob Kurowski in the final, 3-0 (11-5, 11-5, 11-9), having only lost one set all day.

Jepson will also be representing Cambridgeshire this weekend.

The County Championships hadn’t been held since 2019 due to the pandemic and there was more success for Archway with members players picking up cadet, junior and veteran titles.

Kai Lun Chow beat clubmate Kai Long Chow 3-1 in the boys cadet final, but the latter won the junior boys final 3-0 against Nathan Lindsey, also of Archway.

Archway pair Nathan Lindsey and Zihan Lin won the junior doubles final in four sets, while Tee and Dave Rowell won a five-set thriller in the veterans doubles final.

Rowell, who lost in the over 60s men’s final, is a member of Hampton Table Tennis Club.

Archway father and son pair Marek and Jakub Karowski were beaten in the men’s doubles final in five sets.

Marek also came up just short in the men’s veteran's final.

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