Anna Hursey and coach John Murphy have been reflecting on an amazing World Youth Championships campaign which saw the Wales and GB teenager win three medals.

It was one of each colour for Anna as she won the Women’s Doubles title with Germany’s Mia Griesel, took Mixed Doubles silver alongside Iulian Chirita of host nation Romania and claimed a historic singles medal, a bronze.

Anna said: “It was personally amazing to win a medal in the singles and extremely special to get to a final with Iiulian in Romania in front of a home crowd. It was very special to be world champion with Mia.

“There were a lot of tough moments and a lot of close matches. In the singles I just tried to prepare for each match the same and warm up the same and just to think that it’s any other match.

“In the doubles it was important for both pairs to talk to each other, try to encourage each other and have trust in each other.

“For example, in the Women’s Doubles I think there were a lot of tough times and we were 2-0 down, so I think in this moment we just tried to fight for every point and tried to believe that we could win. We played a lot better after 2-0 but it was a very hard match.”

Coach John Murphy was in Anna’s corner throughout and he detailed some of the preparation and thought which went into the tournament.

“It was one of the major goals for Anna in 2025, along with the European Youth Championships and European Under-21s. We planned everything around that,” he said.

“We’d earmarked them as Championships where she could have a major impact and after focussing on the Paris Olympics last year, it was a good year to bring her back to her age category and target these events, and it was good for her as an athlete to know those were the events we were targeting.

“A crucial thing for Anna was she had a good rest at home after Star Contender London as she’d been on the road for a while.

“But we know she plays well when she does tournaments back-to-back, so we had a build-up at the (Vila Nova de Gaia) Feeder Portugal and Star Contender Muscat, where she had one of her best ever wins, against Elizabeta Samara.

“So she was fresh for having the time at home but also sharp from the tournaments, so that was a real positive going into the Worlds.

“She’s also improved her stamina and physicality in the last 12 months, so to get to get on the podium in three events is due to a lot of discipline and how she works, prepares and rests.”

Murphy said discussions with doubles partners Chirita and Griesel started last year and plenty of preparation had gone into those events, both in the practice hall and in playing events.

It was the first round of the Mixed which acted as a catalyst for the rest of the event as Chirita & Hursey got past Chinese pair Wen Ruibo & Zong Geman, coming from 2-0 down to win.

Hursey & Griesel also had tough moments, not least in the final when they trailed 2-0 but turned it around to beat Zong Geman & Qin Yuxuan.

“The big turning point for me was in the Mixed Doubles,” said Murphy. “We had a tough draw against probably on paper the favourites. When you can survive and win a match of that level, it elevates your tournament and I think from that moment she was full of confidence.

“The Girls Doubles final, they were a little bit nervous at the start and got a little bit anxious, but they relaxed after being 2-0 down and having a good start in the third gave them that belief again. Nothing changed tactically, it was more about belief and momentum allowing them to execute the tactic.”

John was also keen to acknowledge the huge contribution of the coaches from Germany and Romania – Lara Broich and Madalin Ionescu respectively.

And he said two other members of the GB delegation – Under-15 athlete Kacper Piwowar and coach Carlo Agnello had also played a key role, not just in the practice hall but by providing support in other ways.

“We’re a small team,” he said, “especially when you look at the huge delegations from some countries, so it was important to have that team element.”

The results also serve as both a credit and a spur to the GB performance pathway, based at the Elite Training Centre in Sheffield.

Murphy said: “First and foremost, it’s a great result for Anna and Wales, but it’s a great result for the GB programme too.

“The work she’s put in – she’s one of the most committed athletes. It’s a good message to the other athletes coming through the pathway that if you’re doing the right things, special results are possible.”

Anna added: “I’d like to thank the programme for all the support they’ve given me and all the daily work they’ve done with me. Without that, results like these wouldn’t be possible.”

From Romania, Anna and John are heading to China for a five-week training bloc.