A Harlow teenager is aiming to "bring it home" when he goes for gold at the Jack Petchey London Schools’ Individual Table Tennis Competition, having won the Essex qualifying tournament.

More than 80 boys and girls from 31 schools competed in under-13 and under-16 categories and Mark Hall Academy pupil Ralph Pattison won the under-16 boys’ category.

The 14-year-old qualifies for the competition finals on April 24, where he will be joined by the qualifiers from five London areas. Before that, he will also compete at the Butterfly Schools National Individual Finals, in Wolverhampton on April 2.

Ralph, who last season won the under-13 National Championships organised by Table Tennis England, said: “Being top seed, there was a little bit of pressure, but I played my game and dominated. A few opponents had difficult styles, which I coped well with.

“At the finals, I’ll aim to put all the effort in, put all the graft in and hopefully bring it home.

“I’d like to thank my club BATTS for supporting me training-wise, competition-wise and making me the player I am today.”

Ralph will join two Epping Forest school pupils in the finals after they also qualified from their age groups.

The Jack Petchey Schools Table Tennis Championships is a partnership between the Jack Petchey Foundation and Table Tennis England to get more young people playing the sport at school for fun and also to compete. It comprises individual and team competitions which are open to boys and girls in full-time education in London and Essex. The partnership also includes the donation of indoor and outdoor table tennis tables to schools and youth clubs in London and Essex.