ONE OF the aspiring youngsters at Cippenham Table Tennis Club has made a huge impact on the national scene.

Rachel Iles, who has been training at Cippenham for about two years, sensationally bettered he seeding of fifth to gain the runners-up medal in the Under-12 National Cup.

The event, played in Blackpool, brought together the top-10 ranked players in England for a showdown for the national title.

Iles got off to a great start and did not let the loss of match points in the third game bother her as she beat off the first challenge from Emily Cheung 3-1.

A 3-0 win against Chui-Que Wong followed, and then came what turned out to be the pivotal match against Sienna Jetha.

Iles came storming back from 2-0 down to overcome Jetha 14-12 in the fifth and deciding game, completing the match with a fist pump and yell of delight.

This was the first match in the whole event where the result had gone against seeding.

Her fourth match was against Connie Dumelow, and the day finished with a 3-0 defeat at the hands of second seed Bethany Ellis.

The second day started with an even harder match and a second defeat, 3-1 against top seed Maliha Baig.

Baig would go on to win the event and finish unbeaten with only Iles taking a solitary game off the champion.

Iles now had three of the lower-ranked players in her sight and duly beat Mia Longman 3-1 then both Sophie Ackred and Jessica Morris 3-0.

Despite losing twice, Iles finished in second place as third-placed Ellis, having beaten Rachel, lost to Baig, Jetha and Wong.

She was presented with her medal by the President of Table Tennis England, Jill Parker MBE.