Seven students travelled to Wellingborough to represent Northampton Academy at the Northants County Table Tennis Championships, the first time the Academy has taken so many students to a table tennis competition.
Table tennis is a growing sport at Northampton Academy, following the introduction of tables around the school for use at break and lunchtime, in addition to being taught as part of the PE curriculum and our extra-curricular opportunities. This was reflected in the quality of our students play, demonstrated at these recent County Championships.
Every student gave it their all, displaying real grit and determination to play their very best in what turned out to be in some pressurised situations. Five made it through the group stages, with two making the quarter-finals (Daniel M U13’s & Leo C U16’s), two making the semi-finals (Daniel O & Jack N U13’s) and one student making the U16’s final, Virgil B.
A special mention must go to Virgil, last year he finished in the quarter-finals, but came back this year with a real ambition and determination to improve his standing. He beat all the opponents that stood in front of him, to then meet a player ranked in the top 30 in the country. After going down 2-0, he fought back to make it 2-2 going into the last game, only to lose in a very tight and nervy finish.
Virgil is now waiting with anticipation on the reserve list, to see if he will be called up to represent Northamptonshire at the National Finals.