Stanmore Table Tennis Club is delighted to announce that Josh Fernandes, who goes to St Dominic's Sixth Form College in Harrow, has received a national table tennis sports award for his outstanding contribution to his college team's success throughout the season.

Josh's efforts helped fire St Dominic's all the way to the national finals of the England Schools competition, in the Under 19s event, and everyone at Stanmore could not be prouder of what he has achieved.

St Dominic's had to work hard just to reach the final. Facing tough opposition, the team were never behind in the tie but were repeatedly pulled back level. The match eventually finished 4-4, with St Dominic's edging through on sets difference to book their place in the showpiece final.

The final proved just as tense. St Dominic's made a strong start, but their opponents hit back with three wins in a row to move ahead. That was when Josh showed real character, coming back from a tough opening loss to produce a battling three set win later in the tie, dragging his score back and helping to level the match at 4-4 overall.

With the tie finishing all square, the result came down to a count of total sets won across the whole match. In the end, St Dominic's were edged out by the smallest of margins, finishing as runners up after a truly gripping contest.

Despite the disappointment of missing out on the title, Josh's determination and fighting spirit throughout the campaign did not go unnoticed. His award recognises the huge part he played in getting his college team to a national final, showing the sort of resilience and composure that makes all of us at Stanmore so proud.

Well done Josh, a fantastic achievement and richly deserved recognition for all your hard work this season. We cannot wait to see what you achieve next.