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Sarah Johnson with the silver medals she won in Nottingham competing in only her second tournament

Despite giving away three years to some of her rivals, nine-year-old Sarah Johnson has already qualified for a national tournament.

The Oakbank Table Tennis Club member came through Yorkshire trials at Bradford Grammar School and regional trials in Halifax to earn the right to compete in the under-11 age group nationals in Derby on April 13.

And, backing that up, the St Anne's School pupil won her first open tournament medals at the Wellow House Championship in Nottingham.

In what was only her second tournament, she was runner-up in the under-tens and under-12 age groups.

Johnson was unlucky in the under-tens final against Nottingham's Alice Walker, only losing 14-12, 16-14, 13-15, 11-7.

Hans Soova, who has coached Sarah for 18 months since she joined Oakbank Table Tennis Club, said: "She used to tag along with her brother Daniel but has been taking the game very seriously for about 12 months.

"Sarah has worked very hard, has a great match attitude on the table and plays an attacking heavy topspin game on both forehand and backhand sides.

"It's a higher-risk strategy than a defensive game and it means her form is very much up and down but we hope it pays dividends in the end."

Soova added that being three years younger might not only be a physical handicap.

He said: "It also means that the players she is up against will be more experienced in matches and will have hit more balls.

"You don't want to put youngsters under too much pressure but Sarah has more potential than most of the players I have coached, and I have coached some good ones. Sarah's a champion in the making."

2:49pm Wednesday 13th February 2008

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