Long’s road to success

HILLINGDON schoolboy George Long is celebrating after winning a national table tennis tournament.

Long partnered Zaiim Premji to claim the cadet boys’ team gold medal at the Inter-Regional Finals. ls.

The Table Tennis England event is new this year and, after regional qualifying events, sees boys and girls in three age groups compete for one of 10 regions from across the country in both singles and team competitions.

Representing London, Premji and Long (pictured) won their group of five teams and then overcame Kian Burgess and James Davies-Stokes of the east region 3-0 in the final, both winning their singles matches and then teaming up to take the doubles.

Long, 15, who attends John Lyon School, said: “We were seeded second in the group so we did well to win it. We won most of our doubles matches and I think that was the key.”

Premji also reached the final of the individual singles but had to settle for silver as Burgess turned the tables in a 3-0 victory (11-9, 11-8, 11-6).