London Academy in Barnet are toasting table tennis success after returning from the Jack Petchey London and Essex Schools’ Table Tennis Singles Finals at Brunel University as the best placed school.

After a schools-wide competition that brought together 112 players from 45 institutions across London and Essex, the Barnet school topped the leaderboard, winning trophies in four categories and finishing runners-up in a fifth.

Fourteen-year-old Mihnea Dascalu secured the Boys Under-16 title after a close tussle with 13-year-old Ernest Bevin School, Wandsworth pupil Nahom Goitom, winning three games to two: 8-11, 11-9, 13-15, 14-12, 12-10. Dascalu was overjoyed with the result and has lofty future aspirations in the sport.

He said: “I am so pleased with myself. This is the first time I have won this competition and it was really hard work. I love table tennis and would like to play for England in the World Championships one day.”

In the Girls Under-16 equivalent, 15-year-old Patricia Ianau, who is ranked in the top 10 at Under-18 and Under-16 level, grabbed the title by beating Clacton-based, Tendring Technical College student Gracie Firkins, a girl one year her senior, 3-0 - 11-4, 11-7, 11-8.

Elsewhere, in the Boys Under-19 competition, 14-year-old Valerio Bucci commendably finished runners-up to 17-year-old Whitgift School, Croydon pupil James Smith. Bucci was defeated 9-11 6-11, 7-11.

In the Girls Under-19 category, Patricia’s twin sister Natalia Ianau saw off competition in a round robin event featuring The Godolphin & Latymer School from Hammersmith & Fulham, Hammersmith’s Burlington Danes Academy, and Capital City Academy in Brent, to win the title.

Natalia won all her games but faced a close battle against runner-up Mya Sultan, 17, from the Capital City school before taking the final 11-4, 8-11, 12-10, 11-6.

Understandably delighted, Natalia said: “This is the first time I’ve won this title and its revenge for not winning last year.”

Both Ianua sisters harbour dreams of playing for their home country Romania in the Olympics. They have since been named in the England squad for the Butterfly Schools’ Invitation International Championships, being played at the Worcester Arena from June 22 to 24.

After a very successful tournament for the school, London Academy coach Bhavin Savjani was keen to highlight the collective hard work of his squad.

He said: “I am very proud of my players. They work hard and it pays off when they win titles. This is an excellent competition and provides a good, strong standard for all players.”

The schools’ table tennis competition, run as part of the Jack Petchey Foundation’s work aimed at widening access for young people, seeks to deliver increased participation and awareness across London and Essex.

Since the partnership with the foundation commenced eight years ago, more than 1,500 tables have been donated to 350 secondary schools, colleges, and youth clubs across the south east, providing competitive sporting opportunities for close to 5,900 students.

Table Tennis England chief executive Sara Sutcliffe said: “We are in our eighth year of partnership with the Jack Petchey Foundation. It’s so good to see a record number of entries for this event this year and the number of girls playing increases year on year.

“This schools competition has become a major event in our calendar and it’s thanks to Sir Jack Petchey that this programme has made a tremendous difference to the number of schools that take part in table tennis in London and Essex.”