County table tennis players make their mark at Europe Youth Top 10 event

Derbyshire table tennis player Liam Pitchford finished in ninth place in the Cadet boys section of the European Top 10 Youth event in Sheffield.

The 14-year-old, currently ranked No.2 in the English Table Tennis Association national ranking list at Cadet level (under 15), was among those selected to represent England in the contest to win the most sought after prize in Europe.

The event at the English Institute of Sport brought together the very best in junior table tennis from England as well as countries such as Sweden, Belgium, France, Russia, Germany, Poland and Spain.

Liam, from Chesterfield, finished in a gallant ninth place in the Cadet Boys competition, securing 11 points after nine matches.

The final round saw Liam miss out 3-2 against Alexander Zhelubenkov ( Russia) after a dramatic match which drew gasps from the crowd. Alexander came through to win 9-11, 7-11, 13-11, 11-6, 11-7.

Fellow England competitor Gavin Evans, (14), from Buckinghamshire, took third place and a bronze medal in the same event, having been favourite to takes the Cadet title.

Derbyshire’s Emma Vickers also competed in the European Top 10 Youth event, finishing in tenth place in the Junior Girls event having taken nine points from nine matches.

Her final round ended with defeat against powerful Romanian opponent Christina Hirici, who won 11-8, 11-6, 11-6, 11-4.

In the Junior Boys event England’s Paul Drinkhall, from Loftus, Cleveland, claimed a bronze medal, while England No.2 Darius Knight finished ninth.

England’s Karina LeFevre, from Cleveland, was placed tenth in her event, the Cadet Girls.

For more details and a full table of results go to www.englishtabletennis.org.uk