Table tennis players from Edgware-based London Academy were crowned U13 national champions at the weekend.

They triumphed at the All England Table Tennis Schools final in Leicestershire.

The students have been training tirelessly in preparation for the championships, under the watchful eye of coach Bhavin Savjani. And all the hard work came to fruition on Saturday.

Four schools had battled through the qualifying rounds to reach the grand final.

Valley school from Nottingham, Altrincham Grammar School from Greater Manchester and Doctor Challoner's Grammar School representing Buckinghamshire joined the London Academy to decide the U13 table tennis champions of England.

The Edgware team, led by Omar Khassel, played with determination, confidence and flair. Omar himself was magnificent and did not drop a game in the entire tournament.

His brother Karim took the number two spot and also played with courage and commitment.

Nathan Knowles was the backbone of the team, winning vital games in the number three spot, while Charlie McNally, with his focus, sheer grit and resilience, played some inspired table tennis to win most of his games in the final set.

Special mention must also go to Arbi Tola, who in the number five position, was always there, ready to step in at any moment should any of the other boys become injured. Angela Trigg, London Academy principal, said: "We are extremely proud of the boys. They all started playing the sport at London Academy, and it's a testament to their desire and hard work that they have won the Academy's first national title. The 2012 Olympics may have come too soon for the boys but we hope to see them continue their success in the individual titles at Doncaster next month, and then go on to represent England in Cape Town at the 2020 Olympic games."