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National Under 10, 11, 12 & 13 Championships at Kings Lynn June 5th & 6th 2004
Richard Marshall, Laura McLeod, Chris & Vicky Smith represented the club in excellent fashion at the pinnacle of young English table tennis.
Vicky led the way in the under ten event--after a major scare in her second match when she had to come from 2 games and 5-1 down, she remained unbeaten to top her group. A convincing win followed against Lincolnshire's Emily Bates who had eliminated Vicky from the under-11 event the previous day. She eventually lost her semi-final in three close games against England international Chelsea Furnival, who went on to take a one-sided final. Vicky was a full year younger than any of the other semi-finalists & the only one able to compete next year in the event.
Richard & Chris both completed 100% records at the group stage of the under-13 event. This left Richard to play Kent's Joe Risby in the last 32, who had given Chris a close match in his group. This hurdle was overcome convincingly in straight games but Richard found equal fifth seed Mitchell Barker just too strong in a four game last sixteen encounter. Chris cruised through to the final sixteen then achieved a first ever win over Essex's Billy Deville, coming from a game down to take the next three. He then found an in-form eventual finalist Matthew Ware too good in the quarter-final.
Laura had two excellent wins in her under 12 group but a narrow defeat against under-10 runner up Lucy Davidson left her battling for a last sixteen place with Vicky's conqueror and under 10 champion, Chelsea Furnival. This proved just too much but she bounced back with Vicky to nearly produce a shock win in the under 12 doubles event. Playing the much higher ranked Rachel Farquhar and Haylee Potts in the quarter-final they took a scintillating first game but ran out of steam to lose in four.
Richard & Chris had earlier done even better in the boys doubles event. A comfortable first round win was followed by a quarter-final encounter with the highly rated Essex paring of Billy Deville & Oscar Selfridge. This was won in style leaving a semi-final against number two seeds Chris Doran & Stewart Mudie. This went the full distance but the Woolwell pairing couldn't quite pull off a surprise.
Cornwall's Martha Travis followed last year's under-10 victory by taking the under-11 title this time. She also narrowly lost a five game semi-final in the under-12 event, but then took the under-12 doubles title.
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