King stars at Home Internationals
Published Date:
05 July 2008
Yolanda King won two medals at the Home Countries Schools International Table Tennis Championships.
The 13-year-old from Hastings clinched a gold and silver at the Welsh Institute of Sport in Cardiff despite battling a heavy cold.
Bexhillians and Weald TTC starlet King teamed up with England cadet number one Emily Bates (Lincolnshire) to strike gold for England A in the under-14s girls' team event.
They beat Wales A 3-2, Scotland B 5-0 and Jersey 5-0 to qualify for the semi-finals, King dropping only one singles in five games and the doubles against the strong Welsh side.
England A then defeated England B 3-1 in the last four, although King had a surprise loss over five games to Evangeline Collier (Essex), who she had fairly comfortably beaten in the English Schools Championships final.
Claremont School pupil King found her best form in the final, however, as England A chalked up a second victory over Wales, but this time more easily 3-0.
The British Olympics Observation Squad member avenged her earlier defeat to the left-handed Angharad Phillips in straight games and won the doubles with Bates.
Filsham Valley School teacher and Hollington TTC player Teresa Bennett coached the gold medal-winning England A team and the bronze medal-winning England B side.
King also scooped a silver medal in the under-14s girls' singles, although she was a bit fortunate to come through her group on games average.
The England cadet number seven lost in five to Welsh reserve player, Charlotte Carey, who is another left-hander, but beat all her other opponents.
After looking like going out of her quarter-final with Hannah Avery (Wales) at two games down, King suddenly upped her play to win 3-2.
She comfortably overcame another Welsh girl, Taylor Williams, in the semi-finals to set up a showdown with Bates.
Although she lost 3-1 to her England colleague, King was the only player to take a game off the champion in the singles.
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Last Updated:
03 July 2008 4:29 PM
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Source:
n/a
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Location:
Hastings