TABLE TENNIS: Kate brings Cheer for South East at School Games

The South East girls team receive their winners' trophy at the School Games in Loughborough.
From left: Andrew Battley (team manager), Isabelle Joubeily, Sarah Menghistab, Kate Cheer. Picture by Paul Stimpson SUS-171109-171145002 — The South East girls team receive their winners' trophy at the School Games in Loughborough. From left: Andrew Battley (team manager), Isabelle Joubeily, Sarah Menghistab, Kate Cheer. Picture by Paul Stimpson SUS-171109-171145002

She lost only one singles match at the event, which saw five English regions plus Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland play each other on a round-robin basis at Loughborough University.

Cheer, 16, and team-mates Isabelle Joubeily (Purley) and Sarah Menghistab (Kilburn) gained a 5-0 victory over North West.

A 4-1 win over Wales followed, but were tested by Northern Ireland before running out 3-2 winners, Cheer sealing it by beating Lucy Craig 3-0 (11-9, 11-8, 12-10) after the Irish can come from 2-0 down to level the tie.

Kate Cheer in action representing the winners South East at the School Games in Loughborough. Picture by Paul Stimpson SUS-171109-171542002

They gained 4-1 wins over Scotland and Midlands followed by a 5-0 whitewash of South West.

It meant a winner-take-all clash for gold against the North East.

Cheer was beaten 3-2 by Jasmin Wong, Menghistab beat the previously undefeated Gauri Duhan to level the match and Cheer and Joubeily then won the doubles.

And Cheer clinched gold by overcoming Duhan 3-2 to give South East an unassailable 3-1 lead.

The South East took the overall title, thanks also to Shae Thakker winning gold in the Para event and the boys’ team taking bronze.

Cheer said: “I was happy to beat Gauri to clinch it, but it was a team effort. We wanted to win it again after getting the gold last year.

“I haven’t been training a lot because of exams but maybe that helped as when I did train I took it more seriously.”