Perse table tennis player hopes to be a big hitter at national championships

6 Feb 2020

Mark Balon (Year 9) is relishing the chance to test himself in the Butterfly English Schools Table Tennis Championships national finals after being crowned county U16 champion.

After winning the Cambridgeshire U13 title in 2019, the Perse pupil moved up to the higher age group this year. Despite being one of the youngest players in the county schools competition at St Neots, he was able to make the step up with no problems.

Mark topped his group and went on to progress through the knockout rounds with victories in straight sets to take the title.

He said: “I’m really happy to have won. With moving up to the U16 age category, I didn’t think I’d be able to do it and the semi-final and final were quite tough.”

The reward for Mark, who practises four or five times a week and plays for his club in the National Junior (U18) League, is a spot in the national finals in Wolverhampton in April.

He said: “Last year, I got to the last 16 in the U13 age group and I want to try to get to the last 16 again. It should be really good and I’m really looking forward to it.”