Eight new champions were crowned following a brilliant day of competition at the Jack Petchey London and Essex Schools individual Finals 2026.

Youngsters qualified in four age groups from five London areas and Essex for the right to compete for the titles at the University of East London’s SportsDock.

Photos will appear on our Flickr page in due course.

Under-11 Boys

William Liu of KCS Wimbledon won an absolute thriller of a final against Oscar Todhunter from Sheen Mount Primary.

It was 3-2 (6-11, 11-9, 13-11, 10-12, 11-8) to Liu as both boys put on an excellent performance.

Bronze medals were won by Alexander Sydorenko of Bournmouth Park Academy, who was defeated 3-0 (11-9, 11-6, 11-8) by Liu in the semi-finals, and by Adam Aziz of Churchfields Junior, who lost 3-1 (11-5, 11-8, 8-11, 12-10) to Todhunter.

Under-11 Girls

The final was another tight match in which Mia Sebba and Katerina Kasimati, both of Fox Primary, went to five games before Sebba ran out the 3-2 (11-5, 7-11, 12-10, 7-11, 11-5) winner.

In the semi-finals, Kasimati defeated school-mate Emma Chan 3-1 (11-7, 11-7, 14-16, 11-8), while it was 3-0 (11-1, 11-7, 11-4) for Sebba against Kiki-Kay Martinaska of Trafalgar School.

The two finalists had also met in the group stage, and it was 3-2 to Sebba in that match too, with a scoreline of 7-11, 11-9, 10-12, 15-13, 11-6).

Under-13 Boys

Lev Sahmurov of University College School completed the feat of winning the gold medal without conceding a game all day, culminating in defeated Suni Desai of Anglo European School 3-0 (11-8, 11-5, 11-5) in the final.

Sahmurov had to fight hard to keep his record intact in his quarter-final against Ethan King of Wallington Grammar – it was 3-0, but the third game went to 16-14.

The bronze medallists were Kaden Gallagher of Teddington School, who was defeated 3-0 (11-4, 11-7, 11-2) by Sahmurov, and Kenzo Boulton from The City Academy, who lost out 3-1 (11-8, 11-9, 10-12, 11-7) to Desai.

Under-13 Girls

Adhuna Das of Colchester High School for Girls matched Sahmurov’s achievement by winning gold without dropping a game.

The final was against Anaiyah Tan of Notting Hill Prep School and it was a 3-0 (11-6, 11-3, 11-7) scoreline in favour of Das.

The podium was completed by Starr Idhea of Addey & Stanhope, who lost out 3-0 (11-2, 11-2, 11-4) to Das in the semi-finals, and Newstead Wood School’s Tejasri Narula, who was defeated 3-1 (11-9, 11-5, 6-11, 11-5) by Tan.

Under-16 Boys

Southend High School for Boys’ William Evesham was the champion, thanks to a 3-0 (11-9, 11-3, 14-12) win in the final against Rishi Patel of Avanti House Secondary School.

Both semi-finals were also decided in three games as Patel defeated Joshua Freeman of Brentwood School 11-7, 11-4, 11-6 and Evesham overcame Arnav Sharma of Coombe Boys’ School 11-5, 11-4, 11-8).

Back in the group stage, Evesham had to battle back from 2-0 down against Whitgift School’s Justin Kravets, eventually winning 3-2 (5-11, 9-11, 11-7, 17-15, 11-7).

There was also a great match in the quarter-finals, where Freeman defeated Luca Archard of St George’s Catholic School 3-2 (11-6, 12-14, 12-14, 11-5, 11-5).

Under-16 Girls

Zeina Negm won the title for St Marylebone CE School, with a 3-0 (11-8, 11-6, 11-3) win in the final against Ashleigh Sharp of Morpeth School.

Bronze medals went to Shirley He of Addey & Stanhope, who lost 3-0 (11-5, 11-8, 11-9) to Sharp in the semis, and to Emily Ngo from Charter Bermondsey, who pushed the champion before losing out 3-1 (11-9, 9-11, 13-11, 11-8).

Under-19 Boys

Kostiantyn Motovilin of Raynes Park High School took the gold medal with a 3-1 (11-7, 12-10, 5-11, 11-7) victory over Joe Addley of Colchester Royal Grammar in the final.

Both finalists had to really battle hard to get through their semi-finals. Addley got past Chun Hei Wong of Wallington Grammar 3-2 (9-11, 14-12, 11-6, 2-11, 11-5), while Motovilin edged Viktor Gusak of Grey Court School 3-2 (11-7, 6-11, 11-9, 11-13, 11-7).

The two finalists had also met in the group stage, and it was a 3-1 (11-9, 7-11, 11-4, 12-10) win for Motovilin on that occasion too.

Under-19 Girls

Maliha Baig did not drop a game all day, and she completed her gold medal-winning performance with a 3-0 (11-9, 11-6, 11-8) final victory over Ellianna Burridge of Colchester Sixth Form College.

Havering Sixth Form College’s Baig had defeated Niylah Fernandez of Addey & Stanhope 3-0 (11-7, 11-3, 11-3) in the semi-finals, while Burridge got past Cheuk Ki Chow of Nonsuch High School 3-1 (11-5, 7-11, 11-9, 11-8) in her semi.